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- A White House Whirlwind: Catching Up on a Dramatic Weekend of News in Washington</p>
<p>Katie Couric Media July 14, 2025 at 3:32 AM</p>
<p>A White House Whirlwind: Catching Up on a Dramatic Weekend of News in Washington</p>
<p>They say money never sleeps, but that's also true of politics — and it's been especially true during President Donald Trump's second administration, which has been marked by an unceasing avalanche of dramatic new developments day in and day out.</p>
<p>This past weekend was no exception. But if you were taking a break from the onslaught of news, we're here to catch you up. Here's a rundown of the biggest stories you might have missed.</p>
<p>Trump announces 30% tariffs on Mexico and the European Union</p>
<p>The president's back-and-forth trade strategy continued to develop as he announced 30% tariffs on both Mexico and the European Union over the weekend in posts on his social media platform, Truth Social.</p>
<p>In a letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, the president wrote: "Despite our strong relationship, you will recall, the United States imposed Tariffs on Mexico to deal with our Nation's Fentanyl crisis, which is caused, in part, by Mexico's failure to stop the Cartels, who are made up of the most despicable people who ever walked the Earth, from pouring these drugs into our country. Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough."</p>
<p>In regards to the European Union, a collective of 27 countries that make up the third-largest economy in the world, Trump blamed a trade deficit for the new tariffs. As ABC News reported, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative points to a statistic that "the U.S. goods trade deficit with the European Union was $235.6 billion in 2024, a 12.9 % increase over 2023."</p>
<p>While both of these new tariffs, set to take effect on Aug. 1, are currently set at 30%, the levies might not stop there. "If for any reason you decide to raise your Tariffs [on the United States], then whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 30% that we charge," Trump wrote to both Mexico and the EU.</p>
<p>For more on the effects of these and other trade tactics Trump has deployed during his second term, check out this New York Times analysis of how the president's moves could significantly shake-up how trade works across the globe.</p>
<p>Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O'Donnell's citizenship</p>
<p>Bad blood between Trump and Rosie O'Donnell is nothing new. They've had a longstanding feud with plenty of fireworks, including the moment during a 2015 presidential debate in which moderator Megyn Kelly reminded Trump that he's referred to women he dislikes as "fat pigs, dogs, slobs, and disgusting animals," and Trump responded, "Only Rosie O'Donnell."</p>
<p>But trading barbs has now escalated to something more, as Trump posted a serious threat against O'Donnell's citizenship to his Truth Social account on Saturday.</p>
<p>"Because of the fact that Rosie O'Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship. She is a Threat to Humanity, and should remain in the wonderful Country of Ireland, if they want her. GOD BLESS AMERICA!" he wrote.</p>
<p>As Trump points out, O'Donnell is currently living in Ireland. She recently explained the move as a reaction to the tone of American politics following Trump's 2024 reelection. "Although I was never someone who thought I would move to another country, that's what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child," O'Donnell explained, adding that she has Irish grandparents and is currently pursuing her own Irish citizenship.</p>
<p>O'Donnell, who was born in Commack, New York, didn't hold back as she responded to Trump's threat on social media. "The president of the USA has always hated the fact that I see him for who he is — a criminal con man sexual abusing liar out to harm our nation to serve himself," she wrote. "This is why I moved to Ireland — he is a dangerous old soulless man with dementia who lacks empathy compassion and basic humanity. I stand in direct opposition all he represents — so do millions of others."</p>
<p>In a separate post, she told Trump that she "live[s] rent-free in that collapsing brain of yours" and added "I'm not yours to silence. I never was."</p>
<p>View this post on Instagram</p>
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<p>Trump supports AG Pam Bondi amid Epstein controversy</p>
<p>Earlier this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi was asked about a potential "client list" related to Jeffrey Epstein, to which she replied, "It's sitting on my desk right now to review." This month, however, the Justice Department declared that such a list does not exist.</p>
<p>This contradiction has riled up many Americans who believe there is a client list — and that it's being purposely withheld from the public to protect the people who might be on it. President Trump's former DOGE buddy Elon Musk has insinuated that Trump himself is in the files, while former Trump lawyer Alan Dershowitz has said, "I know the names of the individuals [in the files]. I know why they're being suppressed. I know who's suppressing them. … But I'm bound by confidentiality from a judge and cases, and I can't disclose what I know."</p>
<p>Amid the blowback from the Justice Department's declaration that there is no Epstein client list, Trump took to Truth Social to defend Bondi, who's been catching plenty of heat.</p>
<p>"They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!" the president wrote. "We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein."</p>
<p>The rest of Trump's post resuscitated a litany of his favorite grievances, attacking Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, "the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration," and "Radical Left Lunatics." He even again referenced his false claim that the 2020 election, which he lawfully lost, was rigged.</p>
<p>"LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE'S GREAT!" Trump said.</p>
<p>Musk remained in the fray, responding on Sunday to Trump's impassioned show of support for Bondi. In a reply to a user on X declaring that Trump's Truth Social message was "in the running for worst post ever made," Musk wrote, "Seriously. He said 'Epstein' half a dozen times while telling everyone to stop talking about Epstein. Just release the files as promised."</p>
<p>In what some commentators have framed as her response to dissatisfaction about this on the right, Bondi took some action of her own over the weekend, firing 20 Department of Justice employees who'd worked on cases involving the Jan. 6 insurrection and Trump's handling of classified documents.</p>
<p>The post A White House Whirlwind: Catching Up on a Dramatic Weekend of News in Washington appeared first on Katie Couric Media.</p>
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