Trump News for Monday, August 11, 2025

Trump just handed Apple a huge fiscal Q4 gift

Marcus Mendes, 9to5Mac

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: just hours before a new wave of tariffs on Chinese goods was set to kick in, President Trump signed an executive order extending the pause by another 90 days. And this time, it’s especially good news for Apple. mor…

Intel CEO turns Trump around, but his job still hangs in the balance

Marcus Mendes, 9to5Mac

Last week, President Trump called for the dismissal of Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan over “highly CONFLICTED” ties to China, further escalating an already difficult situation for the executive. Today, following a meeting, Trump appeared to soften his stance, even i…

US puts Balochistan armed group in Pakistan on ‘foreign terrorist’ list

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The designation comes as US President Donald Trump seeks closer ties with Pakistani government.

Why False Equivalence Is One Of Democracy’s Most Dangerous Lies

Mike Brock, Techdirt

There’s a trick at the center of American political discourse—so deeply embedded that even well-meaning people don’t realize they’re performing it. It goes like this: if you’re a fair-minded individual, you must believe that both political parties are fundame…

China and the US clash at the UN over the Panama Canal, a focus of Trump's attention

EDITH M. LEDERER, Yahoo Entertainment

The United States and China clashed over the Panama Canal at the United Nations on Monday, with the U.S. warning that Beijing’s influence over the key...

Trump’s takeover of the DC police force, briefly explained

Cameron Peters, Vox

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: President Donald Trump announced today that he will fe…

“American National Security Principles Are Negotiable for the Right Fee” — Why NVIDIA and AMD Agreed to Pay the US Government 15% of China AI Chip Revenue

c.cale.hunt@gmail.com (Cale Hunt) , Cale Hunt, Windows Central

Just a couple of weeks after the US government rescinded the ban on NVIDIA's H20 AI chip sales to China, it was announced that both NVIDIA and AMD will hand over 15% of their revenue from specific AI GPUs in order to receive export licenses.

European Leaders Insist Ukraine Must be Part of Peace Talks

Rob Schmitz, NPR

EU foreign ministers meet ahead of Friday’s Trump-Putin talks in Alaska, with Brussels insisting any peace deal must include Ukraine. And Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif was killed in an Israeli airstrike that also took out the broadcaster's crew in Gaza City.

Trump's Trial Run for a Police State

Radley Balko, The Intercept

President Trump’s "federalization" of Washington D.C. is a test of the limits of his power -- and by extension of our democracy. The post Trump’s Trial Run for a Police State appeared first on The Intercept.

The Biggest Criminal in D.C. Right Now Is Trump

Timothy Noah, The New Republic

On Monday morning, President Donald Trump said something was “out of control” and that “we’re gonna put it in control very quickly.... I’m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation’s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse.”Trump…

WATCH: One dead, 10 injured in explosion at Pennsylvania steel plant, officials say

ABC News

One person has died, one is unaccounted for and 10 are injured following an explosion at a Pennsylvania steel plant on Monday, local police said.

Over 150% China tariff rate delayed by 90 days, 30% still in effect for iPhone season

Wesley Hilliard, AppleInsider

Monday's tariff pause just in time for the iPhone 17 launch means Apple's import tariffs from China will only be ten times more than they were in March, instead of 50 times.Apple will continue to pay extreme tariffs in ChinaApple shared that if nothing change…

Hegseth’s Rant on D.C. Takeover Turned Into Evidence Against Trump

Robert McCoy, The New Republic

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s Monday remarks about the deployment of troops on the streets of Washington, D.C., may have already harmed the Trump administration in its legal battle over the deployment of troops on the streets of Los Angeles.Monday marked t…

Donald Trump Nixes Idea Of Larger White House Briefing Room, Tells Reporters “I Don’t Want You To Be Comfortable”

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Donald Trump has paved over the grass adjacent to the White House Rose Garden, and he plans to construct a huge ballroom on the East Wing. But on Monday, he ...

WATCH: Welcome to Emmy the Labrador's neighborhood

ABC News

A Labrador in Southern California has gone viral on TikTok after her owner trained her to ring a special doorbell so she can visit their neighbors.

WATCH: Supreme Court formally asked to overturn landmark same-sex marriage ruling

ABC News

Ten years after the U.S. Supreme Court extended marriage rights to same-sex couples, the justices will consider for the first time whether to take up a case that asks them to overturn that decision.

Extreme Home Makeover: White House Edition

Alexandra Petri, The Atlantic

This old, fly-infested building needs some work.

US to extend China tariff pause another 90 days

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump signed an extension just before midnight in Beijing, when the pause was to expire.

Here’s Our First Look At The Rumored $1,000 Lego Death Star Set Containing Over 9K Pieces

Zack Zwiezen, Kotaku

The leaked set is rumored to be arriving in October and might be the most expensive Lego set ever sold The post Here’s Our First Look At The Rumored $1,000 Lego Death Star Set Containing Over 9K Pieces appeared first on Kotaku.

US protesters say Trump using ‘crime emergency’ to justify DC takeover

Joseph Stepansky, Al Jazeera English

Trump takes control of police, deploys National Guard in a move DC-rights activist calls 'just authoritarianism'.

Nvidia’s Six-Word Response to China

Luc Olinga, Gizmodo.com

Just days after securing a controversial deal to re-enter the Chinese market, the AI giant is on the defensive, forcefully denying accusations from Beijing that its chips are a tool for espionage.

Trump Pretends Crime Rates Are Up To Justify Sending Troops To DC Streets. Too Many Americans Believe Him.

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

This was the way it was always going to end: with Trump turning the Oval Office into the palace of a king. One need look no further than Trump’s attempt to invoke the vengeful spirits of the Overlook Hotel by adding a $200 million ballroom to the White House,…

Trump eyes Chicago, New York City after federal takeover of DC police

Alex Galbraith, Salon

The president put several cities on notice after taking control of the police department of Washington, D.C.

Trump Thought Alaska Was Russia, And The Internet Is Having An Absolute Field Day With It

David Moye, Buzzfeed

"This doddering old man has no idea where he is or what he’s talking about," one congressman said.

Trump deploys National Guard to Washington DC and pledges crime crackdown

BBC News

The president also takes control of the city's police force, as the mayor rejects his claims of a crime wave.

Trump places DC police under federal control, deploys National Guard

Garrett Owen, Salon

The president spoke of a city overrun by violent youth while announcing a takeover of the capital's police.

Former Intel CEO Barrett says customers should bail out Intel

Mark Hachman, PCWorld

Is there a way that Intel can be saved? Former Intel chief executive Craig Barrett thinks so, and it isn’t the way the company’s former board members suggest. Intel should have a number of its customers invest a total of $40 billion in the company to en…

What to know about DC Home Rule Act as Trump puts DC police under federal control

Sarah Beth Hensley, ABC News

The control expires in 30 days, unless the Senate and House back an extension.

Trump on Putin talks: 'I'm not going to make a deal'

DPA, Dpa-international.com

US President Donald Trump is not aiming for an agreement on the Ukraine war from his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin: "I'm not going...

Trump expected to meet with Intel CEO after calling for his ouster

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump said last week that Intel’s CEO Lip-Bu Tan was 'highly conflicted'.

WATCH: US tourist fatally shot in Puerto Rico while visiting for Bad Bunny concert

ABC News

A mother and father in Queens are mourning the death of their 25-year-old son, who was shot and killed while he was visiting Puerto Rico during a trip to see Bad Bunny in concert.

Trump's Foreign Aid Cuts Are Ruining Ethiopia's Progress on Maternal Mortality

Danielle Han, Jezebel

And enabling the country's anti-abortion movement.

Trump says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine

BBC News

The US president says talks with Putin on Friday will be a "feel-out meeting" aimed at urging Russia to end the war in Ukraine.

Ex-NSA Chief Paul Nakasone Has a Warning for the Tech World

msmash, Slashdot.org

Former NSA and Cyber Command chief Paul Nakasone told the Defcon security conference this month that technology companies will find it "very, very difficult" to remain neutral through 2025 and 2026. Speaking with Defcon founder Jeff Moss in Las Vegas, Nakas…

Texas House Democrats remain out of state as redistricting showdown continues

Oren Oppenheim, Kelsey Walsh, Brittany Shepherd, ABC News

The battle over mid-decade redistricting in Texas -- where the state’s congressional lines could be redrawn well ahead of the upcoming census -- continues Monday.

Nvidia and AMD to Give US Cut of Revenue to Sell Chips to China

Jeremy Gray, PetaPixel

Massive chip makers Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) have reportedly signed an agreement with the United States federal government to give the government 15% of their revenue from selling advanced computer chips to China. [Read More]

MAGA Couple Regrets Trump Vote After Terrifying Border Patrol Stop

Jack Silvers, Daily Beast

Two Trump voters allege that Border Patrol agents racially profiled them after they were stopped and questioned on the way to the dentist. George and...

Trump, 79, Claims He’s Going to Russia to Meet Putin (He’s Not)

Robert McCoy, The New Republic

Donald Trump on Monday seemed to forget the location of his upcoming summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin—once again raising concerns about the cognitive ability of the 79-year-old president.The president had announced the summit, which will take plac…

President Trump Deploying National Guard in D.C. Despite Plunging Crime Stats

TMZ Staff, TMZ

President Trump's describing our nation's capital as a dystopian hellscape where criminals run amok with no law and order ... and he's sending in National Guard troops and taking over the police force -- but crime stats tell a much different story.…

Trump DOJ Can’t Score ICE Protest Convictions Because Federal Officers Keep Lying

Tim Cushing, Techdirt

This remains one of the most unintentionally funny things the Trump administration has ever done. Of course, this regime isn’t known for its sense of humor, so anything generating a laugh exists despite the regime, rather than because of it. But laugh we will…

Trump to deploy National Guard to Washington DC

Al Jazeera English

US President Donald Trump said he is taking control of Washington, DC’s police force and deploying the National Guard.

FDA Rehires Controversial Biologics Chief Just Days After Trump Fired Him

Ed Cara, Gizmodo.com

Vinay Prasad is once again head of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, after Laura Loomer led a campaign to have him fired.

David Letterman Weighs in On Trump’s White House Ballroom

Matt Solomon, Cracked.com

By Matt Solomon Published: August 11th, 2025

WATCH: Trump puts DC police department under federal control, deploys National Guard

ABC News

President Donald Trump announced that he is placing the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department under federal control and deploying the National Guard "to help re-establish law, order and public safety.”

WATCH: Derek Hough's new baby may be following in his footsteps

ABC News

The "Dancing with the Stars" pro joined "GMA" to discuss becoming a dad.

WATCH: A$AP Rocky discusses sharing the screen with Denzel Washington

ABC News

The "Highest 2 Lowest" star also garnered praise from Jeffrey Wright and Spike Lee.

WATCH: Steve Buscemi talks joining 'Wednesday' for season 2

ABC News

Steve Buscemi compares his first days on "Wednesday" and "The Sopranos."

What the new China chip taxes tells us about doing business in Trump's America

Peter Kafka, Business Insider

Donald Trump is letting Nvidia and AMD sell some chips to China — but only if they pay a 15% tax. That's the opposite of Trump's tariff push.

EU holds talks amid fear that Trump-Putin meeting will sideline Ukraine

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

The talks come head of a landmark meeting between the presidents of the US and Russia in Alaska on Friday.

‘Full speed ahead’ on Cape bridges after Trump claws back Pike cash, Mass. Sen. Warren says

John L. Micek, MassLive.com

"We’re underway and we’re going full speed ahead, and that’s exactly as we should be," U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said during a televised interview...

‘Dracula’ Review: Radu Jude’s Gloriously Stupid Vampire Epic Is the First Movie to Make Any Meaningful Use of Generative AI

David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Locarno: Jude's three-hour joke conflates artificial intelligence with Vlad the Impaler — two undead bloodsuckers that feed on humanity in order to seem alive.

Trump Seizes Unprecedented Power Over D.C. Using Rare Rule

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

President Trump on Monday announced plans to invoke Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act of 1973, giving him temporary control over Washington, D.C.. This is unprecedented. As a federal district and not a state, the Home Rule Act gives D.C. the right to elec…

Watch: Trump announces deployment of National Guard in Washington DC

BBC News

The US military is preparing to activate troops as part of Trump's crackdown on street crime.

US demands cut of Nvidia sales in order to ship AI chips to China

Emma Roth, The Verge

The Trump administration has ordered Nvidia and AMD to pay the federal government a 15 percent cut of their AI chip sales revenue to China, according to reports from The New York Times and The Financial Times. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang reportedly reached an agr…

Donald Trump Says He’s Deploying National Guard In D.C., Placing Metropolitan Police Under Federal Control

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Donald Trump announced that he was deploying the National Guard in Washington, D.C. and placing the city’s Metropolitan Police under federal control. Portraying the capital city as a crime-ridden hellhole, Trump told reporters that the city “is becoming a sit…

Trump says he will deploy US National Guard in Washington, DC

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

This is a breaking news story.

US judge denies request to unseal records in Ghislaine Maxwell case

Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera English

Government had hoped to get files released about Jeffrey Epstein associate to quell furore that had grown over case.

Even Fox News Is Fact-Checking Trump’s Deranged D.C. Claims

Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling, The New Republic

The president wants to federalize law enforcement in the nation’s capital—but his favorite mainstream media channel isn’t on board.Fox News contributor Ted Williams, a criminal and civil trial attorney and former member of the Washington Metropolitan Police D…

Judge Calls Trump’s Bluff on Ghislaine Maxwell Grand Jury Materials

Robert McCoy, The New Republic

A federal judge is ripping into Donald Trump for his obvious diversion tactic on the Jeffrey Epstein case.

American neo-Nazis love the Trump era. “[Trump] awakened a lot of people...

Jason Kottke, kottke.org

American neo-Nazis love the Trump era. “[Trump] awakened a lot of people to the issues we’ve been raising for years. H

Judge rejects DOJ's request to unseal Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury testimony

James Hill, Peter Charalambous, ABC News

A judge on Monday denied the Trump administration's motion to unseal grand jury testimony from the criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Donald Trump Lashes Out At Paul Krugman As “Deranged Bum”; “Now This Is Flattering,” Economist Responds

Ted Johnson, Deadline

Donald Trump continued to rage at media figures overnight, this time former New York Times columnist Paul Krugman. Trump wrote on Truth Social late Sunday, “Paul Krugman of the New York Times has been predicting Doom and Gloom ever since my great election suc…

Pay-to-Play? Trump Slaps 15% “Export Tax” on Big Tech’s China AI Chips

Luc Olinga, Gizmodo.com

The Trump administration has forced Nvidia and AMD to share their profits in exchange for access to the lucrative Chinese market, creating a radical new playbook for the U.S. tech war. For Nvidia and AMD, agreeing to pay the government a portion of their prof…

Judge denies release of Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts

Ryan Lucas, NPR

President Trump called for the release of the grand jury transcripts after growing pressure to divulge more information about Jeffrey Epstein's case, but the judge on the case said there is nothing new to release.

JD Vance’s Epstein Files Defense Backfires Big-Time

Malcolm Ferguson, The New Republic

On Sunday, Vice President JD Vance and the Trump administration tried and failed to shift the accountability for the Epstein files onto Democrats, only reinvigorating calls for their release. “I laugh at the Democrats who are now all of a sudden so interested…

“The Gilded Age” is at its best when Black prosperity is central to the story

Melanie McFarland, Salon

At the end of its best season yet, "The Gilded Age" saves its happiest moment for the Black social scene.

Justice Dept. Settles with Greystar to End Participation in Algorithmic Pricing

Justice.gov

The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a proposed settlement today to resolve the United States’ claims against Greystar Management Services LLC as part of its ongoing enforcement against algorithmic coordination and other anticompetitive practices…

Dem Senators Ask: Who Is Going To Regulate Trump’s Mobile Phone Venture (Spoiler: Nobody)

Karl Bode, Techdirt

Back in June the Trump administration announced it would be launching a new mobile phone company, including a new Trump branded phone they claimed would be “made in the U.S.” As we noted then, it was all mostly bullshit: the venture was just a flimsy rebrandi…

The vice president thinks it was a “mistake” for the Tesla CEO to split with the president, and hopes he’ll be back in time for midterms.

The Daily Beast, Daily Beast

Divorce is always hardest on the kids, but JD Vance still seems to think there’s scope for Elon Musk and Donald Trump to pick up the pieces after their...

Mark Cuban says the winners of the 2026 midterms are those 'already working' to integrate AI into their campaigns

Thibault Spirlet, Business Insider

The billionaire and 'Shark Tank' investor said those 'already working on how to integrate ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.' would win in the 2026 midterms.

Unprecedented Chinese Icebreaker Deployment Off Alaska Being Monitored...

Howard Altman, Twz.com

Unprecedented Chinese Icebreaker Deployment Off Alaska Being Monitored... (Third column, 1st story, link) Related stories:Map Shows Where Ships Have Been Detected... Drudge Report Feed needs your support!   Become a Patron

How Not to Fix American Democracy

George Packer, The Atlantic

A new book argues for making the U.S. a “true” democracy, but fails at the essential strategy of persuasion.

How Kids’ TV Turned Into ‘Preschool Tinder’

Shirley Li, The Atlantic

Deciding what’s enriching for children to watch has become more daunting than ever.

Europe says US-Russia summit this week cannot decide on Ukraine land swaps

LORNE COOK, Yahoo Entertainment

Ukraine and its backers in Europe insist that the United States and Russia cannot decide on land swaps behind their backs at a summit this week, but the...

Trump vows to crack down on D.C. crime. And, Putin-Trump meeting to discuss end of war

Brittney Melton, NPR

President Trump has deployed federal agents in the nation's capital to crack down on crime and homelessness. And, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet Friday in Alaska.

How Trump Threw Out the Pandemic Playbook

Stephanie Psaki, Beth Cameron, Jon Finer, The Atlantic

The White House inherited a system for handling outbreaks. No one left knows how to use it.

India calls for boycott of American goods over Trump tariffs

Reuters Videos, Yahoo Entertainment

STORY: From McDonald’s and Coca-Cola, to Apple and Amazon – giant U.S. brands are facing calls for a boycott in India. It’s a protest against Trump’s 50...

Divorce him already, Usha

Amanda Marcotte, Salon

JD Vance and his wife really seem to loathe each other

America’s heartbreaking divorce from Canada

Sabrina Haake, Salon

Bourbon boycotts, a drop in Canadian tourism — Trump's tariffs and rhetoric are taking their toll

The airline industry's dirty secret: Clean jet fuel failures

Joanna Plucinska, Joe Brock, Marleen Kaesebier and Paul Carsten, Yahoo Entertainment

PARAMOUNT, California (Reuters) -In 2019, Scott Kirby, the chief executive of United Airlines, hailed its new contract with green jet fuel producer World...

Trump endorses longtime GOP senator (again), and MAGA goes berserk: ‘He’s going off the rails’

Rachel Cohen, nj.com

The senator from South Carolina held his phone up to a microphone.

Republicans’ redistricting power grab might backfire

Charlie Hunt, Salon

Republicans may soon regret their hardball tactics.

How Much Is Trump Profiting Off the Presidency?

David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker

David D. Kirkpatrick estimates the profits from the Trump family’s ventures in private clubs, hotels, golf courses, cryptocurrencies, N.F.T.s, and other businesses, and concludes that the President’s net worth has risen by billions of dollars.

Is the A.I. Boom Turning Into an A.I. Bubble?

John Cassidy, The New Yorker

John Cassidy on the echoes of the dot-com era in the economy, as the stock prices of Big Tech companies continue to rise and eye-popping I.P.O.s reëmerge.

Letters from Our Readers

The New Yorker

Readers respond to Ava Kofman’s Profile of Curtis Yarvin, Malcolm Gladwell’s review of “Unforgiving Places,” and Hilton Als’s review of “Superfine,” at the Met.

How Democrats Can Stop Bickering and Focus on Stopping Trump

Perry Bacon, The New Republic

I hate logging onto X these days because the platform promotes conservatives and downgrades links to stories from serious news organizations. But I also hate X because so much of what I see is fighting among Democrats. Some of these debates are important, suc…

Trump Is the Enemy of the American Revolution

Johann Neem, The New Republic

Almost 250 years ago, on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence proclaimed the United States an independent country. Having rid themselves of a king, the revolutionaries established a republican government that derived its authority from the consent of…

Trump to hold news conference on crime in DC after threatening federal takeover

Kelsey Walsh, Tierra Cunningham, ABC News

President Trump to hold news conference Monday to discuss crime in Washington, D.C., after days of railing about the nation’s capital being “out of control.”

Officials say the US military command that okays hopefuls for service is creeping toward a crisis

Kelsey Baker, Business Insider

Military Entrance Processing Command faces staffing shortages and budget cuts amid federal hiring concerns, risking its ability to process recruits.

Bad news for US shoppers: The cost of everything from laptops to cars is likely to keep rising

Huileng Tan, Business Insider

Consumers could be paying for 67% of the cost of tariffs by October — ahead of the holiday shopping season.

FTSE 100 LIVE: Stocks mixed as traders brace for Trump-Putin meet and US-China trade deadline

LaToya Harding, Yahoo Entertainment

President Donald Trump has pushed for a ceasefire, stating on Friday that he is set to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin this week in Alaska to negotiate...

‘Putin will fool Trump’: Why Ukrainians are wary about Trump-Putin talks

Mansur Mirovalev, Al Jazeera English

Many Ukrainians and experts believe Russia's Putin will seek to dupe Trump while expanding gains in eastern Ukraine.

Nvidia, AMD to pay 15% of China chip sales to US government, reports say

Al Jazeera Staff, Al Jazeera English

Trade experts express concern about reported deal linking exports controls to monetary payments.

Trump urges China to quadruple soybean orders

Ella Cao, Lewis Jackson and Chandni Shah, Yahoo Entertainment

(Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday urged China to quadruple its soybean purchases ahead of a key tariff truce deadline, sending Chicago soybean...

Federal agents spread out across D.C. streets amid Trump vow to crackdown on crime

Brian Mann, NPR

President Trump promised a weekend crackdown of Washington, D.C.'s homeless population and criminals. Trump activated federal agents to also be a show of force across the district.

Nvidia to Pay US 15% of China Chip Sale Revenue

Bloomberg, Yahoo Entertainment

Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. agreed to pay 15% of their revenues from chip sales to China to the US government as part of a...

Exclusive-Fistful of dollars and rice for Vietnam farmers displaced for $1.5 billion Trump golf club

Yahoo Entertainment

India’s services giant TCS lays off over 10,000 for reasons including AI, hikes wages for survivors

Simon Sharwood, Theregister.com

PLUS: Huawei open sources its CUDA equivalent; China boosts brain-computer interfaces; Scientists to visit penguins Trump taxed; And more! Asia In Brief Indian services giant Tata Consultancy Services will shed over 10,000 staff but will give pay rises to mos…