US News

The White House has urged Colombia to hold off on enforcing new auto safety regulations that could disrupt nearly $700 million worth of U.S. car exports. The call comes as both countries gear up for trade talks following recent U.S. tariffs on key Colombian exports such as coffee, avocados, flowers, and oil. In a letter addressed to Colombia’s Ministry of Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned that the proposed changes in vehicle certification standards could lead to a “total cessation” of U.S. automotive exports to the South American country. The letter, dated April 11, was leaked to local media and obtained by the Associated Press. Greer’s letter also suggested that if Colombia moves forward with the new rules, it could be seen as an “unfair trading pract...

On February 24, 19-year-old Merwil Gutiérrez was outside his Bronx apartment with two friends when he was detained by ICE agents, even though they reportedly admitted he wasn't the person they were looking for. According to Merwil’s father, Wilmer Gutiérrez, officers stopped all three boys at the building entrance. “One officer said, ‘No, he’s not the one,’ but another replied, ‘Take him anyway,’” Wilmer told Documented. Weeks later, Wilmer managed to speak to his son, who told him he was being held in Pennsylvania and feared being deported to Venezuela. But instead, he was sent to El Salvador — specifically to CECOT, the high-security prison now being used by the U.S. to hold deported immigrants. Merwil has no criminal history and no gang ties, according to his family. He cam...

The Trump administration is using sensitive government data—normally kept private—to locate undocumented immigrants in the U.S., targeting where they work, live, and study. This data, which many individuals gave in good faith while applying for housing or filing taxes, is now being used to support the administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement policies. At the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), officials are preparing a new rule that would ban mixed-status households—families where some members are U.S. citizens or legal residents and others are undocumented—from receiving public housing assistance. According to insiders, the administration is also trying to remove existing mixed-status families from public housing altogether. Meanwhile, the Social Securi...

America’s self-proclaimed dealmaker-in-chief is now throwing a wrench into Wall Street’s business flow. When Donald Trump returned to the White House, many in the financial world anticipated a surge in IPOs, dealmaking, and capital raising — a wave of activity expected to energize U.S. stock exchanges and investment firms alike. But just five months in, Trump’s sweeping trade war is chilling the deals market instead. Several companies, including StubHub, Klarna, and eToro, have paused their plans to go public. Corporate leaders are becoming increasingly hesitant to greenlight investments, signaling a potential long-term freeze in mergers and acquisitions. “People are paralyzed,” said West Riggs, head of equity capital markets at Truist Securities. “Things won’t change overnigh...

The Wall Street Journal delivered a sharp critique of President Donald Trump’s unpredictable trade policy, cautioning that American consumers are now bearing the brunt of a “triple whammy” under his tariff strategy. In an editorial titled “Trump’s Exceptional Tariff Weekend,” published on Sunday, the paper’s conservative editorial board described the past weekend as chaotic and confusing, highlighting what they called the “arbitrary nature of Trump trade policy.” The confusion began when the administration announced a temporary exemption on tariffs for imported electronics like smartphones and laptops. Soon after, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that those tariffs would increase again shortly. Then, on Sunday, Trump posted on social media that “NOBODY is getting ‘off...

The Trump administration is preparing to impose tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals, moving forward with national security investigations into imports from those sectors, as revealed in notices published Monday in the Federal Register. This move adds to the turbulence in the global trade landscape, which has already been shaken by a flurry of tariff announcements, rollbacks, and changes from the Trump administration over the past two weeks, triggering sharp reactions in financial markets. Although semiconductors and pharmaceuticals were initially exempt from the 10% tariffs imposed on most imports starting April 5, Trump had stated they would be subject to separate levies. On Sunday, he mentioned that the tariff rate on semiconductors would be revealed in the coming wee...

Americans angry over Elon Musk’s sweeping cuts to federal services aren’t just venting online — they’re showing up in person. Across the country, frustrated citizens are staging demonstrations outside Tesla showrooms, and it’s starting to rattle Musk. “Who is funding and organizing all these paid protests?” he complained on X, referring to the nationwide “Tesla Takedown” protests. But maybe Musk should be asking a different question: “Who designed my showrooms to be so protest-friendly?” The answer? Elon Musk himself. While traditional car dealerships are typically located on the outskirts of cities, Tesla flipped the script. Of the 276 Tesla showrooms in the U.S., most sit right in the heart of affluent, bustling neighborhoods—often where wealthy progressives live, shop, and din...

The Social Security Administration (SSA), which distributes monthly benefits to about 70 million Americans, has come under fire recently for its short-lived decision to block many claimants from verifying their identities over the phone. That decision has now been reversed. Originally, the SSA had announced that individuals unable to verify their identity online would be required to visit an office in person for all new benefit claims and direct deposit changes. However, this policy was later revised to exempt recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, and Supplemental Security Income. What You Need to Know? The SSA has now confirmed that all beneficiaries will once again be able to verify their identity over the phone. Starting April 14, 2025, the SSA wi...

Elon Musk, the high-profile tech billionaire, could soon be stepping away from his role in the Trump administration, as a group of lawmakers pushes for his removal. This comes amid growing backlash over Musk’s controversial behavior online, including a recent outburst on Twitter in response to a poll showing his declining popularity. A total of 77 Democratic lawmakers have called on the White House to set a May 30 deadline for Musk to conclude his involvement with the administration. Officials close to President Trump have reportedly raised concerns, even suggesting Musk might be under the influence. His various roles within the administration have been loosely defined, ranging from head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to an advisor to Trump to a “special ...