The president said Thursday that he is naming Jeanine Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, to be the top federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital.
Pirro, who joined Fox News in 2006, co-hosts “The Five” on weekday evenings. She was elected as a judge in New York’s Westchester County Court in 1990 and later served three terms as the county’s elected district attorney.
See how Thursday unfolded.
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What’s in the US-UK trade deal? A broad agreement with limited details.
By the Associated Press
The agreement will open up the British market to American beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, the White House said. It will also allow British cars and steel better access to US consumers.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said the deal would protect thousands of auto jobs and stressed the importance of the relationship between the two countries.
The UK is the United States’ fourth largest export market, though has received just 4.5 percent of US exports this year.
A day after saying FBI needs more resources, Patel strikes different tone to Congress on budget plan — 9:29 p.m.
By the Associated Press
FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that he would make the bureau’s mission “work on whatever budget we’re given,” striking a different tone from comments a day earlier in which he called for the agency to be funded at far higher levels than what the Trump administration had proposed.
The 2026 budget proposal released on Friday calls for a funding cut of about $545 million for the FBI as part of what the White House said was a desire to “reform and streamline” the bureau and reduce “non-law enforcement missions that do not align” with the priorities of President Trump.
Patel told lawmakers at a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday that the FBI needs “more than what has been proposed” to operate as it should and that it “can’t do the mission on those 2011 budget levels.”
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But on Thursday, appearing at a separate hearing of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee, he took a different stance when asked by Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland about his earlier testimony that the FBI required substantially more money than what the Trump budget plan had called for.
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“My view is that we agree with this budget as it stands and (will) make it work for the operational necessity of the FBI, and as the head of the FBI, I was simply asking for more funds because I can do more with more money,” he said.
He added that he would “make the mission work on whatever budget we’re given.”
President Donald Trump fires Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden — 9:22 p.m.
By the Associated Press
President Donald Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden on Thursday as the White House continues to purge the federal government of those perceived to oppose the president and its agenda.
The dismissal was disclosed in statements from three top House Democrats and confirmed by a separate person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity before it was made public.
Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Hayden was “callously fired” by Trump and demanded an explanation from the administration as to why.
“Dr. Hayden’s tenure has been marked by a steadfast commitment to accessibility, modernization, and the democratization of knowledge,” DeLauro said in a statement. “Her dismissal is not just an affront to her historic service but a direct attack on the independence of one of our most revered institutions.”
On social media, Pope Leo XIV has shared criticism of Trump and Vance over policies — 8:55 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Pope Leo XIV is in a new job that will have many crossovers into politics — a realm not entirely unknown to the Chicago-born priest, whose social media history includes sharing criticism of Trump administration policies and of comments by Vice President JD Vance.
The majority of Leo’s posts on the X platform are related to or in support of Catholic news and church initiatives. He rarely writes original content, but a look back through his social media timeline shows numerous posts sharing viewpoints opposed to moves aimed at restricting acceptance of migrants and refugees in the US.
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Here’s a look at some of Leo’s posts.
Forest and park service worker cuts leave wildland firefighting crews short-staffed — 7:40 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Administration funding cuts and a loss of federal workers who help support wildland firefighting continue to make planning for the upcoming wildfire season a challenge, according to forest and fire officials in Oregon and Washington.
The biggest issue is a lack of communication from the federal government as the West faces “a pretty significant wildland fire season,” Washington State Forester George Geissler said Thursday during a news conference hosted by two Democratic senators from the two states.
“This is the time when we make certain that we have the aviation we need, when we have the personnel we need and that all of our systems check out and are ready to go when the alarm bell rings,” Geissler said.
A spokesperson with the Department of Interior, which oversees national parks and other public lands, said “funding is not in jeopardy” and efforts are being supported by increasing pay for federal and tribal wildland firefighters.
Trump’s trade deal with the UK could have occurred before his ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs — 7:21 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president had invited the British government to agree to a trade deal before April 2, but he changed his mind so that he could impose his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs.
That’s according to a British government official who insisted on anonymity to discuss negotiations with the Trump administration.
The official said the planned deal, which was unveiled Thursday, was effectively shelved so that Trump could roll out sharp increases in import taxes that caused financial markets to panic because of the possible economic damage.
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After interest rates on U.S. government debt increased, Trump imposed a partial pause for 90 days of negotiations to reach deals.
Panama president says he will not renegotiate security deal with US despite protests — 7:03 p.m.
By the Associated Press
President José Raúl Mulino said he will not renegotiate the deal, which gives U.S. troops access to Panamanian facilities, despite protests charging that he compromised his country’s sovereignty.
Thousands marched in Panama City on Tuesday in the largest protest yet against the agreement, which was signed during last month’s visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The U.S. Embassy said Wednesday in a statement that it does not allow for establishing military bases in Panama. A military presence in Panama is sensitive, since people still remember the U.S. invasion in 1989, and Trump has suggested taking back control of the Panama Canal.
“Panama’s sovereignty is not at stake, it’s not handed over, it’s not given,” Mulino said during his weekly news conference. He, too, said the agreement would not lead to U.S. bases.
Trump says he is naming Fox News host and former judge Jeanine Pirro to be top federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. — 6:59 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president said Thursday that he is naming Pirro, a former county prosecutor and elected judge, to be the top federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital.
Pirro, who joined Fox News in 2006, co-hosts “The Five” on weekday evenings. She was elected as a judge in New York’s Westchester County Court in 1990 and later served three terms as the county’s elected district attorney.
Trump tapped Pirro to at least temporarily lead the nation’s largest U.S. Attorney’s office after pulling his nomination of conservative activist Ed Martin Jr. That came after a key Republican senator said he could not support Martin due to his defense of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
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“He’s a terrific person, and he wasn’t getting the support from people that I thought,” Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office. He later added: “But we have somebody else that will be great.”
Pirro is the latest in a string of appointments coming from Fox News, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who co-hosted “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
What’s in the US-UK trade deal? A broad agreement with limited details — 6:32 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The Trump administration announced the deal in grandiose terms, but with only limited details about what it will achieve.
The agreement will open up the British market to American beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, the White House said. It will also allow British cars and steel better access to U.S. consumers.
The pact provides some support for Trump’s arguments that his steep tariffs could lead to agreements that open up overseas markets. But economists’ initial reactions were cool, with many noting that the U.K. isn’t a large enough trading partner for to really move the needle for the U.S. economy.
“It’s more symbolic than economic,” Beata Caranci, chief economist at the bank TD Economics, said via email. “What we have learned is that these initial announcements are going to be more fine-tuning around the edges and easing of pain points, rather than an end to the trade war.”
Lawsuit challenges new rules on migrant children in federal custody — 6:29 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The suit brought by two migrants’ advocacy groups seeks a halt to new vetting procedures for reuniting children who enter the country without their parents, saying they are keeping families separated longer and are inhumane.
The lawsuit in federal court in the District of Columbia names the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services and its Office of Refugee Resettlement.
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In February the administration changed the way it reviews sponsors who want to care for migrant children in government custody, be they parents, relatives or others. More changes followed in March and April, when the government started requiring identification or proof of income that only people legally present in the U.S. can acquire.
Critics say government data shows the average length of time that children are held before being released to sponsors grew from 37 days in January to over 112 by March.
The plaintiffs are asking a judge to declare the changes unlawful and restore previous policies.
Up to 1,000 transgender troops are being moved out of the military in new Pentagon order — 6:09 p.m.
By the Associated Press
President Volodymyr Zelensky said they spoke by phone Thursday, hours after Trump reiterated his call for Ukraine and Russia to come to an agreement on a ceasefire.
“President Trump inquired about the situation on the battlefield, and I provided a brief overview. I also informed him that Ukraine is ready for a 30-day ceasefire, starting even today,” Zelensky said via social media.
“We are waiting for Russia to support this proposal. I also reaffirmed that Ukraine is ready to engage in talks in any format,” he added. “But for that, Russia must demonstrate the seriousness of its intentions to end the war, starting with a full unconditional ceasefire.”
Trump expressed frustration with the conflict earlier in the day.
“This ceasefire must ultimately build toward a Peace Agreement,” he said on his Truth Social platform. “It can all be done very quickly, and I will be available on a moment’s notice if my services are needed.”
Trump to end Biden-era program helping poor communities get internet access — 5:34 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president says he plans to end the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act, which was part of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure investments signed into law by then-President Joe Biden.
The aim of the program was to help rural and urban communities on the wrong side of the digital divide, as well as veterans and people with disabilities.
Trump said in a social media post that he spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and agreed that the program “is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL.”
“No more woke handouts based on race!” Trump said. “I am ending this IMMEDIATELY, and saving Taxpayers BILLIONS OF DOLLARS!”
Barbara Bush commemorative stamp unveiled at the White House — 5:08 p.m.
By the Associated Press
First lady Melania Trump and members of the Bush family gathered in the East Room to unveil a US postage stamp bearing the portrait of the former first lady.
The image is Barbara Bush’s official White House portrait, which hangs in the entrance to the East Wing. She is depicted in a black suit and purple blouse, wearing her hallmark triple strand of pearls.
The stamp is set to go on sale a month from now, on Bush’s birthdate of June 8, first in Kennebunkport, Maine, where the family compound is located.
Trump said she appreciated how Bush inspired people to pursue their dreams.
Barbara Bush died in 2018 at 92. She was married to former President George H. W. Bush and was the mother of former President George W. Bush.
A day after saying FBI needs more resources, Patel strikes different note to Congress on budget plan — 4:56 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Director Kash Patel pledged to make the bureau’s mission “work on whatever budget we’re given,” striking a different tone from comments a day earlier in which he called for funding at far higher levels than what the Trump administration had proposed.
The 2026 budget proposal released Friday calls for a cut of about $545 million for the FBI as part of what the White House said was a desire to “reform and streamline” the bureau and reduce “non-law enforcement missions that do not align” with the president’s priorities.
Patel told a House subcommittee Wednesday that the FBI needs more and “can’t do the mission on those 2011 budget levels.”
But on Thursday during a Senate committee hearing, he said: “My view is that we agree with this budget as it stands and (will) make it work for the operational necessity of the FBI, and as the head of the FBI, I was simply asking for more funds because I can do more with more money.”
Vance calls Rubio ‘probably my best friend’ in the Trump administration — 4:23 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Vice President JD Vance says he and Secretary of State Marco Rubio aren’t rivals, despite Trump mentioning both as possible successors.
Vance said during an interview with Fox News Channel on Thursday that Rubio “is probably my best friend in the administration.”
“The president’s not going to name a successor 110 days into his administration, nor should he,” Vance said. Asked if he could see himself as president, he said he would stay focused was on the current administration rather than the next one.
During a recent interview with NBC News, Trump was asked about a successor and responded, “You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, who’s fantastic.”
Trump also has repeatedly flirted with suggestions that he could seek a third term — even though that is constitutionally barred.
Democrats block stablecoin bill as they raise concerns about Trump’s crypto ventures — 4:22 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Democrats have blocked legislation to regulate stablecoins, a form of cryptocurrency, after arguing that the bill needed stronger protections and airing concerns that it could help the president enrich himself.
The bill, which would regulate how stablecoin issuers operate in the US, had previously won some Democratic support. But it failed 49-48 on a procedural vote Thursday after Democrats said they needed to see more changes before they could back the legislation.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans would work with Democrats if they allowed the bill to move forward, but they refused. All Democrats voted not to bring it up.
The vote is a blow to one of Trump’s top legislative priorities and a setback for the cryptocurrency industry, which spent heavily in last year’s election and has been emboldened to cement its influence in politics and the mainstream financial system.
Cameron Hamilton is replaced as acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency — 4:11 p.m.
By the Associated Press
FEMA’s leadership is changing hands at a moment of uncertainty over the agency’s future.
Trump has floated the idea of “getting rid” of FEMA, something Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has echoed.
Last month, Trump created a review council tasked with “reforming and streamlining the nation’s emergency management and disaster response system,” according to DHS.
It was not immediately clear why Hamilton was replaced, but his dismissal comes one day after he appeared before a House Appropriations subcommittee to discuss FEMA reforms. David Richardson will now serve as acting administrator.
The former marine corps officer was appointed in January as assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security’s Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.
Trump talks about the new pope — 2:37 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president made a surprise appearance outside the West Wing to talk with reporters about the newly announced pope.
“It’s such an honor for our country” for the new pope to be American, Trump said. “What greater honor can there be?”
The president added that “we’re a little bit surprised and we’re happy.”
President Trump on Pope Leo XIV: "To have the pope from the United States of America, that's a great honor." pic.twitter.com/0PzT89cpej
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 8, 2025
Trump administration seeks to overhaul US air traffic control — 2:21 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Recent deadly plane crashes and technical failures that have put a spotlight on the outdated U.S. air traffic control network are prompting the Trump administration to propose an overhaul.
The plan calls for six new air traffic control centers, along with technology and communications upgrades at all of the nation’s air traffic facilities over the next three years, said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. How much it will all cost wasn’t immediately revealed.
“Decades of neglect have left us with an outdated system that is showing its age,” Duffy said in prepared remarks. “Building this new system is an economic and national security necessity, and the time to fix it is now.”
The Trump administration wants to add fiber, wireless and satellite technology at more than 4,600 locations, replace 600 radars and increase the number of airports with systems designed to reduce near misses on runways.
Trump congratulates new pope — 2:00 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president posted his reaction on his Truth Social social media platform.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”
Treasury Department launching a fast track process for investing in the US — 1:40 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The agency says it will launch a “Known Investor” portal as a pilot program under which a committee chaired by Treasury can collect information from foreign investors.
The US “benefits from the strong and stable investments of our allies and partners,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Treasury is committed to maintaining and enhancing the open investment environment that benefits our economy, while making sure that process efficiencies do not diminish our ability to identify and address national security risks that can accompany foreign investment.”
Trump asks Supreme Court to allow him to end humanitarian parole for 500,000 people from 4 countries — 1:36 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to allow it to end humanitarian parole for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from four countries.
The emergency appeal asks the justices to halt a lower-court order keeping in place legal protections for more than 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
The Republican administration argues that the decision wrongly intrudes on the Department of Homeland Security’s authority.
Trump says of UK trade deal, ‘James Bond has nothing to worry about’ — 1:24 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump is suggesting that James Bond will benefit from the US-UK trade deal he’s announcing.
The agreement is set to ease tariffs on cars, and Trump was asked if that was a positive development for the movie hero who drives British-made Aston Martins.
Trump referenced his previous threats to possibly impose tariffs on foreign movie-making interests but added, “James Bond has noting to worry about, that I can tell you.”
Melania Trump says motherhood ‘makes women invincible and exposed at the same time’ — 12:55 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The president and first lady Melania Trump have addressed an event with military mothers in the White House’s East Room.
“People now love our country and they’re proud of our country again,” the president said, before noting of his wife, “She’s loved by all.”
Melania Trump talked about motherhood, calling it “the life-changing event that makes women invincible and exposed at the same time.”
“All caring mothers understand this surreal feeling,” she said.
The first lady said that “caring for ourselves will empower the next generation” before wishing those gathered a happy Mothers Day.
Trump mocks former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg — 12:51 p.m.
By the Associated Press
At the end of his Oval Office news conference, Trump turned a query from a reporter about the United States’ overwhelmed air traffic control system into an opportunity to throw a sharp broadside at the leader of the Department of Transportation during the Biden administration.
“You know, he drives to work on his bicycle, with his — which in all fairness — with his husband on the back, which is a nice, loving relationship. But, he didn’t have a clue,” Trump said of Buttigieg, who regularly rode his bike to work. He added, “And he’s actually a contender for president?”
Buttigieg made an unsuccessful 2020 run for the White House. He has been an outspoken critic of Trump during the early days of his second term.
Biden says he ‘wasn’t surprised’ at Kamala Harris’ loss — 12:35 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The former president said he was “very disappointed but I wasn’t surprised” at his party’s loss after he quit the ticket, particularly because Trump’s campaign “went the sexist route” in attacking Harris’ candidacy.
“I’ve never seen quite as successful and consistent campaign undercutting the notion that a woman could lead the country,” Biden said, adding that he talks to Harris “frequently” and that she had sought his opinion, but “I’m not going to tell you what it is.”
Biden said he hopes Harris “stays fully engaged” and didn’t speculate about what her next political move would be.
Former Pres. Biden tells #TheView he "wasn't surprised" by Pres. Trump's win in 2024: "[Kamala Harris is] qualified to be president of the United States of America, but I wasn't surprised because they went... the sexist route." pic.twitter.com/GrtA9iZhP0
— The View (@TheView) May 8, 2025
Biden appears on ‘The View’ for an interview — 12:34 p.m.
By the Associated Press
While he was still president, Biden appeared on the show ahead of last year’s election.
Biden playfully jogged onto the set for Thursday’s show, taking the center seat at the U-shaped table facing cameras and the audience.
“I miss being here,” Biden said as hosts said the audience’s reaction indicated he had been missed.
Biden said he and his family were trying to figure out “the most significant and consequential role” he could be playing, and that he was also writing a book.
Trump administration steps up efforts to reduce India-Pakistan tensions — 12:23 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with the prime minister of Pakistan and India’s foreign minister as the Trump administration stepped up efforts to prevent the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals from going to war.
In separate calls with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Rubio “emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation,” the State Department said.
Rubio also “expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” according to readouts of the calls, which were identical except for specific references to recent developments that have brought the two countries to the brink of war.
In his call with Sharif, Rubio “expressed sorrow for the reported loss of civilian lives in the current conflict” without mentioning the Indian response to an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi has blamed on Islamabad.
In his call with Jaishankar, Rubio “reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism,” the department said.
Trump says the US looking to buy a new air traffic control system — 12:16 p.m.
By the Associated Press
And he even suggested he was ready to announce one during his first term but couldn’t because he lost the 2020 election.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump called the current system “obsolete” and blamed the Biden administration for spending “tens of billions of dollars trying to take old, broken equipment and merging it into existing, new equipment with brand new equipment.”
The president said the US was now in the market to buy a “gorgeous, brand new system.”
“The new equipment is unbelievable what it does,” Trump said. He started to add that it may even alleviate the need for pilots before adding, “In my opinion you always need pilots. But you wouldn’t even have to have pilots. This system is so incredible what they can do.”
Trump says he’ll pull the nomination of Ed Martin, who defended Jan. 6 rioters, for D.C. US Attorney — 12:13 p.m.
By the Associated Press
That comes after a key Republican senator said he couldn’t support him for the job due to his defense of Jan. 6 rioters.
“We have somebody else that will be great,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the status of Martin’s confirmation. He said it was disappointing, but “that’s the way it works sometime.”
Martin has served as acting US Attorney for the District of Columbia since Trump’s first week in office. But his hopes of keeping the job faded amid questions about his qualifications and background, including his support for rioters who stormed the US Capitol over four years ago.’
Trump says other deals will have higher than 10 percent on tariffs — 11:55 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Asked whether the baseline 10 percent tariff on UK products would be a template for future trade deals with other nations, the US president said “no.”
“That’s a low number” Trump says of the 10 percent. He added that the UK “made a good deal. Many, some will be much higher.”
Trump says port slowdown is ‘good’ — 11:48 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump says it’s “good” that US ports are seeing slowdowns amid his steep tariffs on Chinese imports.
Speaking to reporters as he announced a trade agreement with the United Kingdom, Trump dismissed concerns about the slowdown’s effects on dockworkers and truckers.
“That’s good,” Trump said, adding, “That means we lose less money.”
Trump is trying to close US trade deficits but has acknowledged his tariffs can result in higher consumer prices and empty shelves.
How did the House spend this morning? Changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. — 11:39 a.m.
By Julian E.J. Sorapuru, Globe Staff
House Republicans have spent the week attempting to hammer out their differences on President Trump’s “big, beautiful” spending bill, but on Thursday they spent the morning on an issue most of them agreed on: renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
On his first day in office during his second term, Trump signed an executive order renaming the international body of water.
The House bill, introduced by Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, would make it law that the Gulf of America appears on all federal government documents and maps.
Starmer says the deal will protect UK auto jobs — 11:38 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The British prime minister has told auto workers a trade deal with the US will protect thousands of jobs in the sector.
Starmer said he chose to announce the agreement at a Jaguar Land Rover plant “as soon as I knew this deal was coming in today” because it was so important to the industry.
He told the workers “this is just the start,” saying “we are hammering out further details to reduce barriers to trade with the United States and across the world.”
Trump: ‘I think we’re going to have a very good weekend’ — 11:34 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump expressed optimism about upcoming trade talks between the US and China. Officials from both countries are slated to meet in Switzerland for an initial round of conversations.
“I think we’re going to have a very good weekend,” the president said.
Trump left in place high tariffs on China, leading to a trade confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick praises Trump as the ‘best dealmaker’ — 11:28 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Lutnick, who helped negotiate the framework of the trade agreement with the UK, poured on praise for his boss. He said it would have taken him and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer up to three years to close such a deal without Trump.
“So he’s the closer he gets deals done that we could never get done because he understands business,” Lutnick said. “He understands deals. That’s why we’re here today.”
UK says deal slashes tariffs on cars and steel — 11:20 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Britain says its new trade deal with the United States will cut tariffs on UK cars from 27.5 percent to 10 percent and eliminates tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The British government says deal sets a quota of 100,000 UK vehicles that can be imported to the US at a 10 percent tariff.
It says the Trump-imposed 25 percent tariff on British steel will fall to nothing.
The UK says the agreement includes new reciprocal market access on beef, and removes the tariff on ethanol — which is used to produce beer — coming into the UK from the US, down to zero.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer: It’s fitting that a UK-US trade deal has been sealed on VE Day — 11:11 a.m.
By the Associated Press
VE Day is the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
In a phone call with President Trump, Starmer said “it was about this time of day 80 years ago that Winston Churchill announced victory in Europe.”
He said Thursday is a “fantastic, historic day” that will bring the two countries closer together
Trump to speak with Zelensky — 11:08 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The president says he’ll be talking with Zelensky after Ukraine’s parliament voted to ratify a landmark mineral deal with the US
Trump disclosed that he’d be speaking with Zelensky after noting “we just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine.”
The agreement, seen as a key step before a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, gives the US access to a “massive amount” of “high-quality” rare earth material in Ukraine, Trump says.
‘Final details’ still to come — 11:06 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Although Trump has touted the trade deal with the UK, he also conceded there’s more work to do.
“The final details are being written up,” he said in the Oval Office. “In the coming weeks, we’ll have it all very conclusive.”
Trade agreements are notoriously complex and can be time consuming to finalize. However, Trump has been racing to reach deals as he tries to fulfill his promises since launching his tariff agenda last month.
Trump announces a trade agreement with the UK — 11:00 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The deal affirms that “reciprocity and fairness is a vital principle of international trade,” Trump said from the Oval Office. It increases access for US beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, Trump added.
It also fast tracks American goods through the U.K.’s customs process, Trump said. He cautioned that final details will come in the “coming weeks.”
“They’re opening up the country,” Trump said. “The country is a little closed.”
President Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce U.S.-U.K. Trade Deal. pic.twitter.com/OXwKvh22ob
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 8, 2025
Trump says release of Jimmy Lai could be part of trade talks with Beijing — 10:12 a.m.
By the Associated Press
In a podcast, Trump said he would make the release of the prominent Hong Kong businessman a part of his administration’s trade talks with China.
In an interview with Hugh Hewitt that was aired Wednesday, Trump was asked about his promise to get Jimmy Lai out and said: “I think talking about Jimmy Lai is a very good idea. We’ll put it down, and we’ll put it down as part of the negotiation.”
Lai is 77 and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper known for its anti-Beijing stance. He’s standing trial in Hong Kong on national security charges and could be jailed for life. Before he was elected, Trump had said he would “100 percent” get Lai out.
Melania Trump will host White House event commemorating Barbara Bush — 9:38 a.m.
By the Associated Press
She’ll unveil a US postage stamp Thursday afternoon featuring Bush, who was married to former President George H. W. Bush, and is the mother of former President George W. Bush.
Barbara Bush died in 2018.
Members of the Bush family are expected to be in attendance.
Melania Trump’s spokesperson says the first lady and her staff and looking forward to paying tribute to the legacy of Barbara Bush.
Trump gets his first trade deal — 9:25 a.m.
By the Associated Press
When the president retreated from his tariff plans in April, he announced that he would seek individual deals with various countries over the next few months.
The process has been shrouded in mystery since then, and administration officials have said they’re hard at work behind the scenes.
Now Trump gets to announce the first of what he says will be may trade deals. The agreement with the U.K. will likely be limited in scope to specific sectors, such as car manufacturing.
However, the president says it’s a sign of things to come. He wrote on Truth Social that there are “many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!”
Trump renews attack on Fed chair, calling him a ‘FOOL’ — 9:01 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell early Thursday, a day after Powell said the Fed would keep its key interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting.
Yet Trump did not suggest he would seek to remove Powell as chair. On Sunday, he said he would let Powell serve out his term, which lasts until next May.
Powell said Wednesday that Trump’s tariffs, if they remained in place at their current level, could weaken the economy, raise inflation and increase unemployment. Powell emphasized that the Fed is still in “wait-and-see” mode as it evaluates the tariffs’ effect on the economy.
Trump said “almost all costs” are down, including groceries and eggs, and added that there’s “virtually NO INFLATION.”
Consumer prices did fall in March, on a monthly basis, for the first time in nearly five years. Yet grocery costs jumped 0.5% just from February to March. The Fed considers inflation in check when it falls to 2%. It was 2.4% in March.
The US-UK trade deal was sought for years — 8:39 a.m.
By the Associated Press
When then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was campaigning for Brexit, he told voters that leaving the European Union would allow Britain to negotiate its own trade agreement with the United States. But although talks began at the end of Trump’s first term, they never came to fruition.
Negotiations languished under President Joe Biden, a Democrat and a critic of Brexit.
Now with Trump back in office, the U.S. and the U.K. are poised to announce a trade deal. Although it’s unlikely to be as “full and comprehensive” as the Republican president has claimed, it’s expected to ease the burden of his tariffs.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that it will “cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.”
Ukraine’s parliament ratifies a minerals deal with the US — 8:26 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Ukraine’s Parliament unanimously voted in favor of ratifying of a landmark minerals deal with the U.S. on Thursday afternoon, a lawmaker said.
The ratification is a key step in setting the deal in motion. It calls for the creation of a joint investment fund with the U.S.
Parliament approved the agreement with 338 members voting in favor out of the required 226 votes, Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak wrote on his Telegram account. No lawmaker voted against it or abstained.
Trump’s Thursday schedule, according to the White House — 8:14 a.m.
By the Associated Press
10 a.m.: Trump will deliver his anticipated trade announcement, likely announcing the deal between the U.S. and the United Kingdom
12 p.m.: Trump and the first lady will participate in a celebration of military mothers at the White House
Trump campaign architects are now training their sights on Albania’s upcoming election — 8:03 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Some of the architects of Trump’s presidential campaigns have reunited in Albania as they try to help a Trumpian candidate prevail in this weekend’s elections.
They include Chris LaCivita, who served as co-campaign manager of Trump’s successful 2024 effort, Trump’s longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio, and Paul Manafort, who served as chairman of Trump’s 2016 campaign before he was convicted in 2018 of crimes that included secretly lobbying for Ukraine’s former pro-Russian president.
The trio is working for former prime minister and president Sali Berisha, the head of Albania’s opposition Democratic Party, who is challenging Prime Minister Edi Rama to return the Democrats to power, even as he awaits trial on corruption charges.
Denmark says it will summon a US diplomat over report on increased US intel gathering in Greenland — 5:51 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Denmark says it will summon the top US diplomat in the country for an explanation following a Wall Street Journal report about the United States stepping up intelligence gathering on Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory coveted by President Trump.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told broadcaster DR outside a meeting Wednesday with colleagues in Poland that Denmark would summon the US chargé d’affaires to seek a “rebuttal” or other explanation following the report.
The Journal, citing two people familiar with the US effort that it did not identify, reported that several high-ranking officials under the US director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, had directed intelligence agency heads to learn more about Greenland’s independence movement and sentiment about US resource extraction there.
What to know about Penny Pritzker, Harvard Corporation leader and latest Trump target in fight over federal funding — 5:08 a.m.
By Claire Thornton, Globe Staff
As the fight between the Trump administration and Harvard University rages on, Penny Pritzker, who leads the school’s main governing board, has found herself at the center of the controversy, a target of Trump allies and hedge fund investor Bill Ackman, a prominent critic of his alma mater.
Pritzker, a billionaire hotel heiress, was the secretary of commerce during former president Barack Obama’s second term. She is the sister of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and has held leadership roles at organizations from Microsoft to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
After managing businesses in the housing, banking, and technology industries, Pritzker became senior fellow of the Harvard Corporation in early 2022, several months after donating $100 million for a new economics building, the Harvard Crimson reported.
In flirting with violating court order, Trump tries to pass the buck to ‘my lawyers’ —4:10 a.m.
By Jim Puzzanghera, Globe Staff
A famous sign on the Oval Office desk of President Harry Truman read, “The buck stops here.” But if President Trump were to put one up, it might instead read, “The buck stops with my lawyers.“
In recent interviews, Trump has dodged questions about his aggressive executive actions — many facing court challenges — by deferring to the government attorneys advising him. He pleaded, “I’m not a lawyer,” when asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” over the weekend if everyone in the United States has a right to due process as stated in the Fifth Amendment. And he evaded answering a follow-up about whether he needed to uphold the Constitution as president, which he swore to do in his oath of office.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.”
Trump administration to announce trade deal with Britain —2:45 a.m.
By The New York Times
President Trump is expected to announce Thursday that the United States will strike a trade agreement with Britain, according to three people familiar with the plans.
Trump teased a new trade agreement in a social media post Wednesday night, though he did not specify which nation was part of the deal.
“Big News Conference tomorrow morning at 10:00 A.M., The Oval Office, concerning a MAJOR TRADE DEAL WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF A BIG, AND HIGHLY RESPECTED, COUNTRY. THE FIRST OF MANY!!!” he wrote.
How a Chinese delicacy got caught in the crossfire of Trump’s trade war —1:02 a.m.
By the Associated Press
For over two decades, Suquamish tribal member Joshua George has dived into the emerald waters of the Salish Sea looking for an unusually phallic clam that’s coveted thousands of miles away.
George is a geoduck diver. Pronounced “gooey-duck,” the world’s largest burrowing clam has been harvested in tidelands by George’s Indigenous ancestors in the Pacific Northwest since before Europeans arrived.
In recent years it has also become a delicacy in China, with Washington state sending 90 percent of its geoducks there, creating a niche yet lucrative American seafood export.
But the escalating trade war between the US and China is now crippling an entire industry that hand-harvests geoducks, leaving Washington state divers without work, Seattle exporters without business, and Chinese aficionados with fewer of these prized clams.
Released Palestinian student to meet with Vermont governor and lawmakers —12:25 a.m.
By the Associated Press
A Palestinian student arrested during an interview about finalizing his US citizenship is helping to launch an initiative to help other immigrants facing deportation in Vermont on Thursday, a week after a federal judge freed him from custody.
Mohsen Mahdawi, 34, who led protests against Israel’s war in Gaza at Columbia University, spent 16 days in a state prison before a judge ordered him released on April 30. The Trump administration has said Mahdawi should be deported because his activism threatens its foreign policy goals, but the judge ruled that he has raised a “substantial claim” that the government arrested him to stifle speech with which it disagrees.
Immigration authorities have detained college students from around the country since the first days of the Trump administration. Many of them participated in campus protests over the Israel-Hamas war, which has killed more than 52,000 Palestinians. Mahdawi was among the first to win his freedom after challenging his arrest.