Tag Archives: china

Washington Post: China to donate $500 million to WHO, stepping into gap left by U.S.

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Beijing will replace the United States as the organization’s top state donor, expanding its influence as the U.S. retreats from international cooperation.

China has pledged to give $500 million to the World Health Organization as the country is set to replace the United States as the group’s top state donor, expanding Beijing’s global influence in the wake of Washington’s retreat from international cooperation.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong told the World Health Assembly that his country is making the contribution to oppose “unilateralism,” a trait Beijing often ascribes to Washington as relations between the two powers deteriorate.

President Donald Trump in January ordered the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, a move that would leave Beijing as the top donor and most powerful member country.

A good move for China, at the expense of our reputation and prestige. We have only King Donald to blame — and ourselves for electing the bum.

China to donate $500 million to WHO, stepping into gap left by U.S.
Beijing will replace the United States as the organization’s top state donor, expanding its influence as the U.S. retreats from international cooperation.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/21/china-who-donation-500-million

Independent: Furious Democrats call for investigation into Musk’s bid to help build Trump’s ‘$500 billion’ Golden Dome project

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Forty-two members of the opposition write to Pentagon’s Inspector General to raise conflict of interest concerns over SpaceX’s potential involvement in anti-missile project

A group of 42 Democrats has written to the Pentagon’s Inspector General demanding an investigation after it was reported that Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, could win a lucrative contract to help build President Donald Trump’s new “Golden Dome” anti-missile defense system.

Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Tammy Duckworth have responded by expressing their concerns in a letter to acting Pentagon Inspector General Steven A Stebbins, demanding transparency about the bidding process.

“Mr Musk’s formal or informal participation in any process to award a government contract raises serious conflict of interest concerns, including the possibility that SpaceX is a top contender for the Golden Dome contract because of Mr Musk’s position in the government,” they wrote.

The project, inspired by Israel’s “Iron Dome”, was announced by President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the White House on Tuesday. The president promised it would be “fully operational” before he leaves office in January 2029 and capable of intercepting rockets, “even if they are launched from space.”

The independent Congressional Budget Office has warned that the project could cost as much as $524bn and take 20 years to build. Trump dismissed that estimate, putting the price tag closer to $175bn and insisting it could be completed in just three years, beginning with a $25bn grant to kickstart the development. That effort will be steered by Space Force General Michael Guetlein and “the brightest minds” in Silicon Valley, he said without naming the former DOGE leader.

I smell a crooked deal in the works, with the “winning” bidder already selected.

Democrats call for investigation into Elon Musk’s Golden Dome bid
Forty-two members of the opposition write to Pentagon’s Inspector General to raise conflict of interest concerns over SpaceX’s potential involvement in anti-missile project

https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-golden-dome-trump-democrats-b2755109.html

Responsible Statecraft: Hegseth is taking the Army on another dead end ride to Asia

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The U.S. Army is getting ready to fight China. At least that’s how Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Army leaders are selling their new modernization initiative, announced on April 30.

Framed as an opportunity for “generational change,” the overhaul intends to “optimize” the Army’s force structure and equip its soldiers for the Indo-Pacific’s maritime terrain while divesting the heavy armored vehicles and helicopters that have been Army mainstays for a decade.

Like the Army’s past efforts to pivot to Asia, however, the initiative is likely to fail. The Army doesn’t have a game-changing or undiscovered role to play in a potential future conflict with China, and another expensive reboot isn’t going to help it find one. Instead, it’s time for the Army to face reality and double down on the narrow but essential core competencies it can already bring to the Indo-Pacific, including air defense, command and control, and sustainment.

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/hegseth-army

New Republic: Transcript: Trump’s Threats to Defy Courts Suddenly Get More Dangerous

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As Trump’s intent to override the courts gets more obvious, a legal commentator who closely observes MAGA lawlessness explains why the Trump-MAGA strategy here is darker than you thought.

This is The Daily Blast from The New Republic, produced and presented by the DSR network. I’m your host, Greg Sargent.

President Donald Trump is very unhappy with how things went at the Supreme Court when it comes to his effort to end birthright citizenship. He uncorked two angry epic tirades about the High Court, essentially putting it on notice that it had better rule his way on this and other matters coming before it or else. This may look like typical Trumpian bullying and threats, but we think there’s a game going on here that people are missing. It’s that Trump is, in a very real sense, playing chicken with the Supreme Court. He’s trying to bluff the justices into constraining themselves from putting limits on Trump’s power. We’re going to explore how this really works today with one of our favorite legal commentators, Matthew Seligman, a fellow at Stanford Law School.

Best to click on the link and read the dialogue:

Transcript: Trump’s Threats to Defy Courts Suddenly Get More Dangerous
As Trump’s intent to override the courts gets more obvious, a legal commentator who closely observes MAGA lawlessness explains why the Trump-MAGA strategy here is darker than you thought.

https://newrepublic.com/article/195392/transcript-trump-threats-defy-courts-suddenly-get-dangerous

The Cool Down: New data shows China is bypassing US tariffs in crucial industry: ‘China will not slow down its efforts’

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In China, this expansion means more stable jobs and investment opportunities.

Despite the United States’ steep tariffs on Chinese imports, the country seems poised for continued growth in the clean energy sector, according to the Financial Times.

China is a huge manufacturer of things that lower our reliance on dirty fuel sources, such as solar panels and battery storage units. Data from BloombergNEF showed that in 2024, over 75% of the world’s new investments into making these technologies were in China, according to the Financial Times.

Yet with the U.S. currently waging a trade war with the country, some worried its valuable clean energy production would slow down. 

In reality, the opposite is happening. 

New data shows China is bypassing US tariffs in crucial industry: ‘China will not slow down its efforts’
Despite the United States’ steep tariffs on Chinese imports, the country seems poised for continued growth in the clean energy sector.
New data shows China is bypassing US tariffs in crucial industry: ‘China will not slow down its efforts’

CNN: Trump warns America’s businesses: Eat my tariffs, or pay the price

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President Donald Trump is sending a stern warning to Corporate America: He will use his bully pulpit to publicly shame companies that dare to raise prices because of tariffs.

Walmart:

After Walmart last week said it would have to jack up some prices because of high costs of the global trade war, Trump on Saturday responded forcefully in a Truth Social post, demanding Walmart reverse its decision.

“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump said. “Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, “EAT THE TARIFFS,” and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”

The rebuke was the White House’s third such public reprimand of a big American business that discussed the possibility of raising prices because of the steep cost of tariffs.

Amazon:

On April 29, after Amazon reportedly considered displaying an additional tariff charge next to the listed price on its Haul platform, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press briefing held up a photo of Amazon Chairman Jeff Bezos and called the move a “hostile and political act.” Trump, whom a senior official described as “pissed,” called Bezos to complain, saying the company’s founder “solved the problem very quickly.”

Amazon said that although it was considering displaying the tariff cost, the plan was ultimately not approved and “not going to happen.”

Mattel:

A week later, on May 6, Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Mattel after the Barbie and Hot Wheels maker said it would have to raise prices. Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said Trump’s tariffs won’t bring toy manufacturing to America, because toys couldn’t be manufactured in America and still be sold at affordable prices.

“We don’t see that happening,” Kreiz told CNBC after Mattel warned that tariffs will increase toy prices for American consumers.

Trump fired back from the Oval Office, threatening the company and its CEO.

“We’ll put a 100% tariff on his toys, and he won’t sell one toy in the United States, and that’s their biggest market,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t wanna have him as an executive too long.”

Trump = a narcissistic bully suffering a severe case of arrested development!

Trump warns big business: Eat my tariffs, or pay the price | CNN Business
President Trump used his bully pulpit to warn America’s businesses about raising prices due to tariffs.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/business/trump-tariffs-price-consumers

Moneywise: Peter Schiff blasts US-China trade deal

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Economist Peter Schiff recently took to X to blast the Trump administration for conceding the trade war without meaningful gains from China.

“How is this trade deal a win for Trump?” he asked. “China has agreed to nothing. The 145% tariffs we imposed have been reduced to 30%. The 125% tariffs they imposed in response have been reduced to 10%. If 145% tariffs were just a bargaining chip, China already called Trump’s bluff and won.”

He continued in response to comments, “So what have we won by agreeing to pause the war we started? We did not win a single battle in this war.”

Other economists echoed this view. 

Peter Schiff just blasted America’s trade deal with China — warns the Asian nation won by calling Trump’s ‘bluff’ on 145% tariffs, agreeing to ‘nothing’ in return. Is he right?
“So what have we won by agreeing to pause the war we started?”

https://moneywise.com/news/economy/peter-schiff-just-blasted-americas-trade-deal-with-china-warns-the-asian

Knews: ‘Repudiated’: WSJ Delivers Blow to Trump

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The WSJ editorial board argued that the tariff policy has weakened U.S. credibility by targeting allies and obstructed coalition efforts against Beijing’s trade practices. The editorial board wrote, “Rarely has an economic policy been repudiated as soundly, and as quickly, as President Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs—and by Mr. Trump’s own hand.”

The editorial board added, “A ‘tragedy’ of Trump’s ‘shoot-America-in-the-foot-first approach,’ is that he’s hurt his chances of rallying a united front of countries against Beijing’s mercantilism.” It added, “By targeting allies with tariffs, Mr. Trump has eroded trust in America’s economic and political reliability.”

‘Repudiated’: WSJ Delivers Blow to Trump
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/repudiated-wsj-delivers-blow-to-trump/ss-AA1F0uoz

Newsweek: Donald Trump issues new warning message to Walmart

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President Donald Trump warned Walmart on Saturday against raising its prices, writing on Truth Social that he will “be watching.”

“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain. Walmart made BILLIONS OF DOLLARS last year, far more than expected. Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

“I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”

It’s not surprising that Trump got this so wrong, give that he has bankrupted SIX businesses over the years.

A corporation has a fiduciary duty to maximize its profits for the benefit of its SHAREHOLDERS, not to cater to the whims of a corrupt self-serving narcissistic political apparatchik in Washington, D.C.

Donald Trump issues new warning message to Walmart
The president told the retail giant to “EAT THE TARIFFS!”

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-issues-new-warning-message-walmart-2073638

Raw Story: Trump’s own words are being thrown back in his face after his latest threat

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Now:

Donald Trump’s own words are being thrown back in his face after his Saturday Wal-Mart threat.

The president over the weekend told Walmart’s executives that they should absorb any increased costs that he has created on imported goods through trade policies.

“I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!” Trump wrote as he demanded Wal-Mart and China simply “eat the tariffs.”

Then:

But that didn’t sit well with many longtime Trump onlookers, who observed that the president previously said no one would need to eat the tariffs.

Author James Surowiecki said, “But Trump has said over and over again that foreign countries pay tariffs, not US businesses or consumers.”

“If that’s true, why would Walmart have to eat anything?” he then asked.

Trump’s own words are being thrown back in his face after his latest threat

https://www.rawstory.com/trump-own-words-walmart-threat