USA under Donald Trump - the ticker The most important events from August 29 to September 2

Donald Trump has been President of the United States again since January 20, 2025. You can find the developments during CW35 here in the news ticker on the USA under Trump.

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Live ticker on the USA and Donald Trump

You can find all the latest events relating to Trump's US policy here:

The United States under Donald TrumpTrump: “I love inflation” // “Mr. President, you’re not far behind God”

23.01

Maduro calls deployment of US warships "biggest threat in 100 years"

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro sees the deployment of several US warships off the coast of his country as the "greatest threat our continent has seen in the last hundred years". The left-wing nationalist told foreign journalists in Caracas that the USA had sent "eight military ships with 1,200 missiles and a submarine" to target his country.

Venezuela would "never give in to blackmail or threats of any kind", Maduro continued. US President Donald Trump and Foreign Minister Marco Rubio wanted to "lead him into a bloodbath".

Trump accuses Maduro of leading the powerful cocaine drug cartel "Cártel de los Soles" (Cartel of the Suns). Trump recently increased the pressure on Maduro by sending several warships. According to media reports, Washington is also planning to send 4,000 marines to the region. Maduro then announced plans to mobilize more than four million militiamen. Venezuela has a total of "8.2 million" militiamen and reservists, Maduro said - a figure that is disputed by experts.

Venezuela broke off diplomatic relations with the USA in 2019 after the US government and numerous other countries refused to recognize Maduro's election victory. Washington also imposed sanctions on Caracas at the time and imposed an oil embargo on the South American country. Only recently, Washington doubled a bounty on Maduro's head to 50 million dollars (around 40 million Swiss francs).

22.22

EU Commissioner: Digital regulation laws will be enforced

Despite threats from US President Donald Trump, the EU Commissioner for Digital Affairs, Henna Virkkunen, has announced that she will continue to enforce the laws regulating the digital world. The EU regulations would fully respect fundamental rights, including freedom of expression, the EU Commissioner explained in the online service X. She rejected the accusation made by the US State Department and critics such as Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg that the EU rules amounted to "censorship".

The European Union has regulations such as the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which regulate competition and the handling of prohibited content. With the DMA, the EU wants to limit the market power of large technology groups and force companies to comply with European competition rules. In this context, the EU Commission has already imposed penalties on the US technology companies Meta and Apple.

Proceedings are also underway against tech billionaire Elon Musk's online service X. These relate to alleged violations of the DSA. This law is intended to ensure that national laws, for example on content harmful to minors and misinformation, are also implemented online.

US President Trump threatened countries with laws to regulate digital companies last week - without naming names. He would impose "significant additional tariffs" on the products of these countries and impose export restrictions on US technology and chips if the measures deemed "discriminatory" by Washington were not lifted, the US President warned. Virkkunen now linked to a letter to the US Congress in her post, which reiterated that the DSA and DMA are "sovereign laws" of the EU that were "overwhelmingly adopted by the European Parliament and the European Council", which represents the 27 member states.

The DSA and DMA are our sovereign legislations -

Non-discriminatory, applying to all online platforms in the EU.

Fully protecting our fundamental rights, including freedom of expression.

I will keep enforcing them, for our kids, citizens and businesses. pic.twitter.com/aIYynTzqyX

— Henna Virkkunen (@HennaVirkkunen) September 1, 2025

21.39

Woody Allen praises Donald Trump as an actor

Veteran director Woody Allen (89) has expressed surprising praise for Donald Trump's acting skills. In Bill Maher's podcast "Club Random", Allen recalled their work together on the film "Celebrity" (1998), in which the current US president appears as himself for eleven seconds - and announces that he wants to buy Manhattan's St. Patrick's Cathedral, tear it down and replace it with a "very, very tall and beautiful building". "He was a pleasure to have on set, very professional, polite and a very good actor," Allen enthused according to US media reports.

Politically, he is a "Democrat" and voted for Kamala Harris, the 89-year-old emphasized. He does not agree with Trump's politics "95, maybe 99 percent". But as an actor, Trump showed "charisma" and played his role convincingly.

Allen was astonished that Trump entered politics at all. "Politics is nothing but headaches, critical decisions and agony," said Allen. He said he used to see Trump at New York Knicks basketball games, enjoyed playing golf or judging beauty pageants. "He liked things that were fun and relaxing. Why someone would suddenly want to deal with political issues is beyond me. But apparently it doesn't bother him."

In response to Maher's comment that being president is "the ultimate acting job," Allen replied that it doesn't bother him. "They all have to put on a certain patina for the public," he said. During the filming of "Celebrity", Trump did everything right and showed "a real flair for show business".

21.04

Ex-directors of the US health authority: Kennedy "endangered the health of all Americans"

Several former heads of the US health authority CDC have expressed alarm at the administration of US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "Kennedy is endangering the health of all Americans", the nine former CDC heads declared in a guest article in the New York Times. They had led the health agency since 1977 under several presidents, from Democrat Jimmy Carter to Republican Donald Trump.

Kennedy laid off thousands of health care workers and weakened programs to prevent cancer, heart attacks and other diseases, the experts wrote. During the largest measles outbreak in decades, the vaccine skeptic relied on "unproven 'treatments'" and belittled vaccines.

"This is unacceptable and should alarm every American, regardless of political views," wrote the former heads of the agency, including Anne Schuchat, who headed the CDC during US President Donald Trump's first term.

The measures adopted under Health Secretary Kennedy have long been sharply criticized within US health authorities and by independent experts. Since taking office, Kennedy has restricted access to coronavirus vaccines and cut funding for the development of new vaccines, among other things.

6.41 pm

ECB chief: Trump's control of US central bank Fed would be a major "danger"

ECB President Christine Lagarde has warned of risks in the event of President Donald Trump controlling the monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve (Fed). If Trump were to succeed, "it would be a very serious danger for the American and global economy", said the head of the European Central Bank on French radio station Radio Classique.

The Fed's monetary policy acts on the US "to maintain price stability and ensure optimal employment", Lagarde continued. "If it depended on the dictates of one person or another, (...) the balance of the American economy would be very worrying, and consequently the impact this would have worldwide." At the same time, however, it would be "very difficult" for Trump to achieve a majority in favor of his desired policy in the seven-member Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, the ECB President continued.

Trump has been at loggerheads with the Fed for months because it has not yet complied with his demand to lower the key interest rate. The US President has repeatedly verbally attacked the head of the central bank, Jerome Powell. A week ago, Trump also ordered the dismissal of US Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, citing Cook's alleged misrepresentations in connection with private real estate loans. Cook immediately rejected the order and is taking legal action against the dismissal.

The US President has only limited powers in personnel matters at the Fed. According to a ruling by the Supreme Court, he can only dismiss representatives of the central bank in cases of serious misconduct. Cook, a former employee of ex-President Barack Obama, has been a member of the central bank's seven-member Board of Governors since May 2022. She is the first black woman to hold this post and was appointed by Trump's predecessor Joe Biden.

Monday, September 1, 2025, 4:38 a.m.

Judge stops deportation of children to Guatemala at the last minute

At the last minute, a judge in the USA has halted the government's planned repatriation of hundreds of children and young people to Guatemala for the time being. The postponement is valid for two weeks, according to the order issued by a federal court in Washington. Lawyers for several children and young people from Guatemala aged between 10 and 17, who are in the USA without their parents, had gone to court.

The judge ordered the government to halt all efforts to deport or repatriate them for the time being. She brought forward a hearing on Sunday after it came to the court's attention that the action was already underway and that some of the minors were already on airplanes.

US media had reported that the government was planning to fly hundreds of minors from Guatemala back to the country. In her order, the judge refers to all unaccompanied minors from Guatemala in the USA who are in the care of an office specifically responsible for them and against whom there is no enforceable deportation order.

The minors' lawyers refer to the enhanced protection provided by law and the right to care for unaccompanied minors. Proceedings are also underway before immigration courts, they said. According to US media reports, however, a lawyer for the Department of Justice spoke of parents and their children being reunited.

0:10

New York's ex-mayor Giuliani in hospital after accident

New York's ex-mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was at times a close ally of US President Donald Trump, has been injured in a car accident, according to a spokesman. The 81-year-old was taken to hospital, according to a spokesperson on the X platform. It was not a targeted attack. Giuliani suffered a fractured thoracic vertebra, cuts, injuries to his arm and lower leg as well as bruises in a rear-end collision on a highway in the US state of New Hampshire. He is in good spirits and is recovering well.

Giuliani was mayor of New York from 1994 to the end of 2001, including during the attacks of September 11, 2001. After Trump's election defeat in 2020, Giuliani stood firmly by the Republican and fought vehemently against the alleged election fraud, for which there was no evidence.

The spokesperson described the course of the accident on Saturday evening (local time) as follows: A woman on the side of the road, who had been the victim of domestic violence, signaled Giuliani to stop. The ex-mayor helped her and alerted the emergency services. After this incident, the car with Giuliani in it was rammed from behind at high speed. The account could not initially be independently verified.

@RudyGiuliani was in a car accident in NH on Aug 30 after assisting a domestic violence victim. He sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously. Thank you for the prayers & support. 🙏 official statement below. pic.twitter.com/ohYJCcXpjR

— Michael Ragusa (@themikeragu) August 31, 2025

6.43 p.m.

France's foreign minister emphasizes support for Greenland

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has demonstrated his support for the Arctic region with a trip to Greenland. During his visit to the capital Nuuk on Sunday, Barrot criticized US President Donald Trump's plans to take control of Greenland. "Greenland is not for sale," said the minister, echoing similar comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited the semi-autonomous Danish territory in June.

"You don't make a nation great again by imposing yourself on your neighbors and allies," said Barrot, alluding to Trump's election campaign slogan "Make America Great Again". Instead, we must contribute to the freedom of the world and ensure that friends and partners can live in peace and prosperity. Barrot made his remarks at a press conference following a working meeting with members of the Greenlandic government.

5.58 p.m.

After customs court ruling: USA continues negotiations with countries

The US government is pressing ahead with its trade negotiations with other countries despite the setback caused by a court ruling on tariffs. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Fox News: "Our trading partners continue to work very closely with us in the negotiations."

On Friday (local time), the appeals court denied US President Donald Trump the authority to impose far-reaching tariffs on imported products from many countries by invoking an emergency law. He is defending himself against this. The Court of Appeal's decision does not come into force until October 14, so the US government still has time to appeal it to the country's highest court - the Supreme Court.

Sunday, Aug. 31, 1:38 p.m.

Trump threat with National Guard: statistics show a completely different picture

To combat crime, US President Donald Trump also wants to deploy National Guardsmen to Chicago, New York, Seattle, Baltimore, San Francisco and Portland in Oregon.

However, statistics show that violent crime has declined in these cities and nationwide in recent years. The number of murders fell significantly in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same period in the previous year - continuing a trend in the USA since the coronavirus pandemic.

Data expert John Roman from the University of Chicago admits that violent crime has persisted in some urban neighborhoods for generations. However, there is no real crisis in any city in the USA. "We are at a remarkable point in terms of crime in the US," he says.

4:37 p.m.

Missouri also plans to redraw its constituencies

After his colleague in Texas, the Republican governor of Missouri also wants to give his party an advantage in the upcoming elections by redrawing the constituencies. Governor Mike Kehoe announced a special session of the legislature in Jefferson City on Friday to discuss the issue. A few hours earlier, Texas Governor Greg Abbott had signed a redistricting reform bill that would give Republicans five additional seats in the 2026 midterm elections.

According to Kehoe, the special session in Missouri is set to begin next Wednesday. He has already released a draft of a new map that expands Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's district in the Kansas City area eastward into rural, Republican-leaning areas. Also on his agenda is another Republican concern: a constitutional amendment to make it more difficult to pass citizen initiatives, such as those that have pushed through changes to abortion law and marijuana legalization in recent years.

Kehoe called both items a defense against liberal politicians and activists. "Missouri's conservative, common-sense values should be properly represented at all levels of government," he shared. Democrats were outraged and spoke of an attack on democracy directed by US President Donald Trump. The Democratic minority leader in the Missouri parliament, Ashley Aune, described Kehoe as Trump's puppet. He was trying to steal a seat in Congress for the Republicans and undermine the procedure for citizens' initiatives.

Today, I am calling on the General Assembly to take action on congressional redistricting and initiative petition reform to ensure our districts and Constitution truly put Missouri values FIRST. pic.twitter.com/O3ZDArSDQV

— Governor Mike Kehoe (@GovMikeKehoe) August 29, 2025

3:31 p.m.

EPA fires staff after criticizing Trump leadership

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has dismissed at least eight employees who criticized the leadership under President Donald Trump in a letter. The decision was made by supervisors after a thorough individual review, an EPA spokeswoman said on Friday. The letter was signed by more than 170 employees of the authorities at the end of June.

The letter contained inaccurate information intended to mislead the public about the agency's work, EPA spokeswoman Molly Vaseliou said. "Fortunately, this is only a small fraction of the thousands of hard-working, dedicated EPA employees who are not trying to mislead and scare the American public." However, the EPA will not tolerate career civil servants who abuse their position at the agency to undermine the will of the American public.

Vaseliou did not comment on the number of employees affected. However, the head of the agency's largest union said at least six probationary employees who signed the letter and at least two permanent employees had been fired. The Washington Post first reported the layoffs.

The Trump administration has fired at least seven Environmental Protection Agency employees for signing a letter nearly two months ago criticizing the agency’s leadership, according to union officials. https://t.co/rRrcxulLWq

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 29, 2025

Aug. 30, 6:47 a.m.

US appeals court: Trump's tariffs are illegal but can remain in place until Supreme Court rules

An appeals court in the USA has denied President Donald Trump the authority to impose far-reaching tariffs on imported products by invoking an emergency law. However, the decision will not come into force until October 14, so the US government still has time to challenge it before the Supreme Court. Trump immediately announced that he would do just that. It was initially unclear how the ruling would affect trade with countries with which an agreement had already been concluded.

The court's decision is another major setback for Trump's aggressive trade policy. At the end of May, a federal court in New York overturned the tariffs and banned them permanently. The Trump administration fought back against this in the appeals court. The court lifted the New York court's blockade for the time being in order to review the case. However, with its decision, the Court of Appeal has now largely upheld the decision of the lower court, even if it does not directly prohibit the tariffs.

Trump defended his radical trade policy and announced that he would appeal to the Supreme Court - the highest court in the land. He would use the tariffs "with the help of the Supreme Court of the United States for the good of our nation and make America rich, strong and powerful again!", he wrote on the Truth Social platform. He emphasized, "ALL DUTIES ARE STILL IN FORCE!" He criticized the appeals court as biased and called abolishing the tariffs a total disaster that would "literally destroy" the country.

ALL TARIFFS ARE STILL IN EFFECT! Today a Highly Partisan Appeals Court incorrectly said that our Tariffs should be removed, but they know the United States of America will win in the end. If these Tariffs ever went away, it would be a total disaster for the Country. It would make…

— Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) August 29, 2025

20.57

After dismissal by Trump: Court examines lawsuit by US Federal Reserve Governor Cook

On Friday, a court in Washington dealt with the lawsuit filed by US Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook against her dismissal ordered by US President Donald Trump. In the first hearing in the case, Judge Jia Cobb examined Cook's request for a preliminary injunction, with which she wants Trump's order to be declared unlawful. This would allow her to continue in her post as governor of the US Federal Reserve while she takes legal action against her dismissal.

No decision was made on Friday. A further hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday.

Trump had ordered Cook's dismissal on Monday "with immediate effect" and justified it with alleged misrepresentations in connection with private real estate loans. He published a corresponding letter to the central banker on his online platform Truth Social. Cook immediately rejected the order and announced resistance.

8.48 pm

Secretary of State Rubio hands over leadership of USAID

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is relinquishing one of his many posts in President Donald Trump's administration. Russell Vought will head the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in the future, Rubio announced on social media. Vought is Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and will retain this position.

Vought will take over the leadership of USAID to "oversee the closure of an agency that went off the rails a long time ago," Rubio wrote. Vought responded on social media: "Gladly! Let's go!"

Rubio joked during this week's Cabinet meeting that the upcoming Labor Day was very meaningful to him "as someone with four jobs." In addition to serving as the top U.S. diplomat and heading USAID, Rubio is also currently National Security Advisor and heads the United States National Archives.

I joked with @POTUS that I had four jobs. He told me to give one to my friend @RussVought47. So I did.
⁰Since January, we’ve saved the taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. And with a small set of core programs moved over to the State Department, USAID is officially in close…

— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) August 29, 2025

7.09 pm

USA revokes visas for Palestinian groups

The US State Department is revoking visas for members of two Palestinian organizations just a few weeks before the UN General Assembly in New York. In addition, no new visas will be issued, according to a statement from the US State Department. This affects members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and representatives of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

According to the announcement, the official representation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) at the United Nations is exempt from the visa restrictions. The PA only has observer status and is not a full UN member.

5.18 pm

Trump wants to cut billions in foreign aid already approved

In a controversial maneuver, US President Donald Trump wants to cut billions in foreign aid that has already been approved. A total of 4.9 billion US dollars (around 3.9 billion Swiss francs) is at stake, which was earmarked for programs of the State Department, the US development agency USAID and for international aid programs. This was revealed in a letter from the White House to the Republican Chairman of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson.

According to the budget authority, Trump is resorting to a budgetary maneuver that the US Court of Auditors has described as illegal. According to the Court, this is always the case when a US president asks Congress to cut funds shortly before the end of the financial year so that they expire before they can be used for new purposes.

According to the Court, Parliament normally has 45 days to respond to a presidential request to cut funding. "But if there is not enough time to consider that request or use the funds before they expire, the President is circumventing congressional oversight of government spending." The budget year runs until the end of September.

The fact that the US government is cutting development funding under Trump is nothing new. At the beginning of last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the official end of foreign aid from the US development agency USAID. The reason: development goals were rarely achieved. Foreign aid programs that are in line with US government policy will be administered by the State Department in the future, he said.

3.25 pm

Trump withdraws Secret Service protection from Harris

According to research by the AP news agency, President Donald Trump has prematurely withdrawn Secret Service protection from former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Former vice presidents usually enjoy protection from the agency for six months after leaving office, ex-presidents for life. However, another person familiar with the matter says that then-President Joe Biden quietly signed an order extending Harris' protection beyond the usual six months.

Trump is a Republican, Biden and Harris are Democrats. Trump won against Harris in last year's presidential election after Biden dropped out of the race and his running mate replaced him.

Harris is a former Attorney General of California and District Attorney of San Francisco. She recently announced that she will not run for governor next year.

2:37 p.m.

"Beautiful": Trump flirts with Attorney General Bondi

Donald Trump says he is not concerned with appearances, Donald Trump declares at a cabinet meeting in Washington on August 26.

He says this after the following remark: "And then I saw this poor, stupid [Democrat] Chuck Schumer, this guy. He looked like he had aged 100 years"

Then follows: " And I don't like to talk about appearances. Appearances don't mean anything. When you're in politics, looks mean nothing."

“I look at Pam Bondi and I would never say she was beautiful because that would be the end of my political career.” —Trump

Someone please check Pam Bondi’s DMs on Truth Social.
pic.twitter.com/1M6rY4l7eC

— Casey Donaldson (@cdonny_) August 26, 2025

This brings the 79-year-old to talk about his 20 years younger Justice Minister: "I see Pam [Bondi]: I would never say she's beautiful, because that would be the end of my political career." The ministers responded with a laugh.

For the British Independent, this is reason enough to list "Trump's praise for Pam Bondi after embarrassing remark about Attorney General's appearance". "Trump, 79, awkwardly flirts with Bondi in 3 hours and 16 minutes of Cabinet banter," rails The Daily Beast.

Another successful cabinet meeting with Dear Leader pic.twitter.com/T2PZHdbwuh

— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) August 26, 2025

1:30 p.m.

Because of September 11: US judge allows civil lawsuit against Saudi Arabia

A US federal judge has declared civil lawsuits against Saudi Arabia in connection with the attacks of September 11, 2001 admissible. Judge George B. Daniels declared yesterday that the lawsuits had sufficient legal grounds and rejected a motion by Saudi Arabia to dismiss the lawsuits.

The kingdom had employed an imam and an accountant, which was probably related to their support for two members of the Al-Qaeda terrorist network who had come to the USA in early 2000 to learn English and take flying lessons.

In the 9/11 attacks perpetrated by al-Qaeda, Islamist attackers piloted hijacked passenger planes into New York's World Trade Center and the U.S. Department of Defense. Another plane crashed into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Almost 3000 people were killed. Hundreds of relatives and survivors of victims have alleged that employees of the Saudi Arabian government directly and knowingly supported the hijackers and conspirators and encouraged the development of Al Qaeda into a terrorist organization.

Lawyers for Saudi Arabia argued that the country and the US were partners in the fight against terrorism, al-Qaeda and its founder Osama bin Laden in the 1990s. Saudi Arabia revoked bin Laden's citizenship in the 1990s and took more measures against him than any other country before the September 11 attacks.

They did not initially comment on Thursday's decision. Kreindler & Kreindler, the law firm representing the plaintiffs, said the judge's decision "ensures that the plaintiffs can continue their long pursuit of truth and justice".

12 p.m.

US visit to Taiwan angers Beijing

Shortly before a major military parade in China and amid growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific, a US delegation has visited Taiwan for talks on security.

They were here to talk to their "friends and allies in Taiwan" about strengthening global peace, said US Senator Roger Wicker in Taipei. According to Foreign Office spokesman Guo Jiakun, China was "extremely dissatisfied" with the US politicians' visit.

Wicker and the accompanying US Senator Deb Fischer - both Republicans - are members of the US Senate Defense Committee, which last had representatives in Taiwan in 2016. The democratically governed island state is under threat from China, which counts Taiwan as part of its territory and wants to bind it to itself again - with the help of the army if necessary.

US Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, arrives in Taipei to discuss security amid rising threats from China.#Taiwan #US #China pic.twitter.com/5aphrJxrQR

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) August 29, 2025

The USA is Taipei's most important ally and regularly supplies weapons to the country with a population of 23 million. In the event of an attack, the USA would be obliged to support Taiwan's defense, for example by providing weapons to repel attacks.

President Lai Ching-te's government wants to increase defense spending to more than three percent of the expected gross domestic product in 2026 and reach a quota of five percent by 2030. Lai thanked the US for its support.

"We are determined to defend our homeland and maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific," he said. Taipei is also willing to maintain exchanges with the People's Republic of China on the basis of equality and dignity, he said.

China's communist leadership, which will hold a military parade on September 3 under the eyes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean ruler Kim Jong Un to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan in the Second World War, warned against interfering in the Taiwan issue.

This is a core interest of China, said Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu in Beijing. "The attempt by some outside forces to use Taiwan to control China is playing with fire, and those who play with fire will get burned," he said.

10:40 a.m.

Trump authorities arrest firefighter aide in the middle of an operation

An explosive incident is causing a stir in the west of the USA: During the fight against the devastating Bear Gulch fire in Washington state, federal officials have arrested firefighter helpers.

As the "Seattle Times" reports, two members of a private crew who had been hired to assist were taken away on Wednesday.

Photos show officers in police uniforms monitoring a group of helpers. In total, the inspection of the crew is said to have taken more than three hours - valuable time that was missing for fighting the fire.

It is still unclear why the men were arrested. Officially, the authorities have only stated that they were in the country illegally. A further 42 people were escorted out of the area. Firefighters told the Seattle Times that they had been insulted by the officers when questioned.

9 a.m.

Convicted triple murderer executed in Florida

A man has been executed in Florida for the murder of his girlfriend, her mother and an acquaintance in 1992. The 59-year-old Curtis Windom was pronounced dead yesterday after being administered a lethal injection at the state prison near Starke, according to the authorities. It was the eleventh execution in the US state this year - a record.

According to court documents, Windom learned from a friend on November 7, 1992, that an acquaintance, Johnnie L., who allegedly owed him $2,000, had won $114 in greyhound racing. Windom then drove to a store, bought a revolver and ammunition and tracked L. down.

From his car, he fired several shots into the victim's back, then fired at the defenceless man at close range. According to the public prosecutor's office, Windom then drove to his girlfriend Valerie D.'s apartment and shot her in front of her girlfriend for no apparent reason.

He then arbitrarily fired at another man, injuring him. He later shot the mother of his girlfriend D., who had driven to her daughter's apartment. Death sentences were imposed on Windom for each of the three murders, as well as a 22-year prison sentence for attempted murder.

D. was also the mother of his daughter Curtisia Windom. She ultimately campaigned in vain to stop her father's execution. "Forgiveness comes with time, and 33 years is a long time. I myself have forgiven my father," Curtisia said in a statement on behalf of a group that opposes the death penalty.

Windom's lawyers had filed numerous motions to halt the execution over the years, arguing, among other things, that evidence of their client's mental health problems had not been considered at his trial. However, the Florida Supreme Court declared that the prosecution had then again presented evidence at the time that Windom had been a drug dealer and that the women he murdered had been police informants.

Windom was the 30th person to be sentenced to death in the USA this year. Florida now leads the statistics with eleven executions, followed by Texas and South Carolina with four executions each. In the entire previous year 2024, there were 25 executions in the USA.

6.22 am

USA ends duty-free for parcels from all over the world

Since Friday, the USA has abolished duty-free imports of goods with a value of less than 800 dollars. President Donald Trump had initially lifted the exemption for China - and at the end of July also ordered the end of duty-free treatment for parcels from all over the world. Postal service providers in numerous countries such as Switzerland, France, India and Australia therefore announced that they would no longer accept most parcels destined for the USA. The parcel service DHL also announced that it would massively restrict the shipment of goods to the USA.

Duty-free De Minimis will be suspended. All low-value shipments entering the U.S. will be subject to the same regulations and duties as other imports. This decisive action safeguards U.S. businesses from unfair trade practices, strengthens our economy, and reinforces the… pic.twitter.com/yBCTcBxDk2

— CBP (@CBP) August 27, 2025

One of the reasons Trump gave for the move was that dangerous drugs had been smuggled into the USA on a large scale in duty-free parcels under the de minimis rule. In recent years, duty-free parcel deliveries have risen sharply thanks to platforms such as Temu and Shein.

5.52 a.m.

Report: Swiss farmers have too much milk because of Trump

Due to falling cheese exports to the USA, surplus Swiss milk is to be delivered to the Middle East, according to Tamedia. The milk industry organization (BO Milch) wants to ship 2,000 tons of butter and 2,000 tons of cream to the Middle East and Turkey as soon as possible, the newspaper wrote.

So far, 90 percent has been delivered to the USA in the form of cheese and 10 percent in the form of milk powder for chocolate. Gruyère and Switzerland Swiss accounted for the lion's share of cheese, followed by raclette and fondue. However, this business is in decline.

The latest BOM figures for the first half of the year show that cheese exports to the USA have slumped by over 15 percent. Already 500 tons less have been shipped. Le Gruyère and Switzerland Swiss were particularly affected.

There are no signs of the situation easing. Stefan Kohler, Managing Director of BO Milch, told the newspaper: "We expect that around half of US exports are at risk." And that Swiss cheese will also come under pressure in the EU.

In order for Swiss dairy farms to receive a "decent price per liter", according to BO Milch, 9.5 million Swiss francs are needed from a fund set up for such situations. The industry organization plans to present concrete measures on Friday to cushion the impact of the US tariffs.

4.41 a.m.

Brazil is apparently considering countermeasures due to high US tariffs

Following the imposition of US tariffs of 50 percent on goods from Brazil, the South American country is apparently considering countermeasures. According to the AFP news agency, this was reported in government circles on Thursday (local time).

According to AFP, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has given his approval for a study to examine what retaliatory measures Brazil could take in response to the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry now has 30 days to decide whether the US tariffs fall under the recently passed Economic Reciprocity Act. If this is the case, a group of experts will propose countermeasures, which could also include counter-tariffs, according to diplomatic circles.

The Brazilian government will officially inform the USA on Friday of its decision to examine possible retaliatory measures, the sources added.

In light of the public statement made by U.S. President Donald Trump on social media on the afternoon of Wednesday (9), it is important to highlight the following:

Brazil is a sovereign nation with independent institutions and will not accept any form of tutelage.

The judicial…

— Lula (@LulaOficial) July 9, 2025

The economic reciprocity law passed in April enables the government to take faster and more targeted measures against countries that reduce Brazil's competitiveness through unilateral actions.

The left-leaning Lula had previously complained that Washington was deaf to Brazil's complaints. "We have not been able to speak to anyone from the USA," he said.

The tariffs against Brazil are among the highest punitive tariffs that Trump has imposed to date and are clearly politically motivated. Trump wants the Brazilian Supreme Court to drop a case against Lula's predecessor in office, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, over an attempted coup.

Bolsonaro, a friend of Trump, is accused of trying to overturn the result of the 2022 election, which the far-right politician lost to Lula. He faces up to 40 years in prison. Bolsonaro, who was president from 2019 to 2023, sees himself as the victim of political persecution.

2.49 p.m.

Kennedy deputy to become head of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Jim O'Neill, the deputy head of the US Department of Health and Human Services under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is to become the new director of the CDC. This became known on Thursday (local time) from government circles.

O'Neill, a former investment manager who also worked in the Department of Health and Human Services under former US President George W. Bush, reportedly has no medical background. Susan Monarez had previously been surprisingly recalled by the White House after less than a month in office.

Health Minister Kennedy has yet to comment on the 50-year-old's dismissal. "There are a lot of problems at the CDC, and it will be necessary to fire some people in the long term so that we can change the institutional culture," Kennedy said at a press conference in the US state of Texas.

Kush Desai, a White House spokesman, had explained on Wednesday evening (local time) that Monarez was not in line with President Donald Trump's agenda and had rejected a request to resign. Monarez had therefore been dismissed. Later, her lawyers Mark Zaid and Abbe David Lowell released a statement in which they emphasized that Monarez had neither resigned nor been told that she had been fired.

When the director "refused to simply nod off unscientific and reckless orders and dismissed dedicated health professionals, she put protecting the public ahead of political interests," the lawyers wrote. She had been targeted for this.

Monarez was the 21st director of the agency and the first to be confirmed by the US Senate under a 2023 law. She was nominated for the post in March after Trump surprisingly withdrew his original favorite David Weldon.

Friday, August 29, 2025, 0:42 a.m.

Trump tariffs cost Caterpillar up to 1.8 billion dollars

The US construction machinery manufacturer Caterpillar fears a significantly higher burden from President Donald Trump's import tariffs than three weeks ago. They could cost the company 1.5 to 1.8 billion dollars this year, the company announced.

When presenting its quarterly figures at the beginning of August, Caterpillar had still stated a range of 1.3 to 1.5 billion dollars. Since then, there have been additional tariffs and some clarifications, explained the company known for its yellow excavators and bulldozers. In the current quarter alone, Caterpillar now expects customs costs of 500 to 600 million dollars. Previously, the management had assumed 400 to 500 million dollars.

Company boss Joe Creed announced at the beginning of August that Caterpillar wanted to minimize the negative effects of the tariffs through various measures. He did not initially provide details on specific steps.

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