President Donald Trump says he's delaying the 50% U.S. tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian imports. The countries reached a deal less than two hours before the sanctions were to go into effect, buying time for more negotiations and avoiding for now another strain in already tense relations. The South Korean and U.S. militaries detailed how they're scaling back joint drills, a reduction Trump ordered in an apparent bid to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. And primary voters elevated a progressive Democrat for Senate in Florida, where Trump's chosen candidate, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, could become the state's first Black governor.
The Latest:
Sen. Darline Graham in debate: ‘I’m not that informed on national security’
The recently appointed senator stumbled over a foreign policy question in a debate Tuesday night as she competes in next week’s Republican primary runoff in South Carolina.
“Are Taiwan and the South China Sea national security issues for the United States and if so, why or how?” a moderator asked.
Graham started her answer by saying, “I’m just going to be honest here.”
“I’m not a polished politician up here, national security is not my thing, not my area of expertise, but I do support the military,” she said moments later.
Graham's brother, Lindsey, died unexpectedly on July 11. She was appointed to fill his seat temporarily and Trump has endorsed her against Rep. Ralph Norman in the special election for her own term.
Kennedy Center tells court it won’t move to return Trump’s name before Sept. 8
The Kennedy Center has told a federal court it won't try to return Trump's name to the building's facade before at least Sept. 8 as another legal battle takes shape over the future of the performing arts venue.
In a status report filed late Tuesday, opponents of the move said members of the Kennedy Center’s Trump-aligned board “seem intent” on defying an earlier court order requiring the president’s name to be removed. The Kennedy Center said it wouldn’t move forward with its plans until after Labor Day “at the earliest” to allow time for legal arguments.
Lawyers for Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat who is an ex-officio member of the board, pressed U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper for an earlier ruling, arguing there is "every reason to believe that Defendants will attempt to effectuate some or part of this latest unlawful resolution at the earliest opportunity after September 8."
Israeli military says it has reviewed 150 cases of troop conduct in Gaza, and decided five
Israel's military says it will launch criminal investigations into two high-profile attacks on Palestinians during the Gaza war — the killings of 5-year-old Hind Rajab and her family, and of 15 Palestinian paramedics.
The military said it would not investigate three other attacks that killed aid workers from World Central Kitchen and Doctors Without Borders.
The Wednesday statement did not mention other high-profile killings that the military has pledged to investigate throughout the war, such as the Israeli strikes on a hospital in southern Gaza in August 2025 that killed five journalists including Mariam Dagga, a visual journalist who freelanced for The Associated Press and other news organizations.
Fake polling from mysterious company highlights danger of unvetted election surveys
A mysterious political firm admitted to fabricating multiple election polls this month. The fake results from a company called Median Strategies, none of which appeared in AP coverage, claimed to evaluate support in the Democratic primary for governor in Wisconsin, the gubernatorial race in Nevada, and the mayoral race in Los Angeles.
The California poll was shared by Mayor Karen Bass’ campaign on social media and covered by local news outlets before the company admitted its results were faked and shut down.
The trajectory of the false data offer a cautionary tale about the perils of trusting unvetted polling. While high-quality political polls still exist, they appear amid a slew of other surveys produced by outside groups, campaigns or super PACs using undisclosed or questionable methodologies.
Canadians say Trump’s tariffs delay falls well short of a deal
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement “substantial progress” had been made but that important work remained, confirming Canada had agreed to the three-day delay while negotiations continued.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candace Laing said in a statement that the three-day tariff delay offered businesses some relief but fell short of the certainty a signed interim agreement would provide.
“This limbo state is not anyone’s preferred outcome,” she said, urging negotiators to reach a deal quickly.
US sanctions International Criminal Court president, senior prosecutor
The International Criminal Court has responded to the latest Trump administration sanctions it faces, saying they undermine the rule of law. “When judicial actors are threatened for applying the law, it is the international legal order itself that is placed at risk,” its statement says.
The State Department said Tuesday it had hit ICC president Tomoko Akane, a Japanese national, and ICC senior trial lawyer Abdoulaye Seye, who is from Senegal, with sanctions that freeze any assets they have in U.S. jurisdictions or come into contact with the U.S. financial system.
The Trump administration has sought to dismantle the tribunal, which it accuses of trying to unfairly prosecute U.S. and Israeli soldiers for alleged crimes in Afghanistan, Iraq and Gaza. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's statement calls it "a corrupt and fatally politicized supranational court that has maliciously abused its authority and exceeded its mandate."
Election takeaways: Donalds joins historic field and progressive scores upset victory in Florida
As the long, contentious primary season nears its end, Democratic voters elevated another progressive Senate candidate in Florida, while Trump’s chosen candidate in his adopted home state, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, won the nomination to be the state’s first Black governor.
It was a mixed bag for incumbents in the state, where Republican-led redistricting efforts scrambled congressional maps. Voters in Alaska, Wyoming and California were also choosing their nominees, sometimes considering multiple people running with matching last names.
Tuesday's contests will help shape the midterms this fall to determine control of Congress, where Republicans have a narrow edge.
▶ Read more takeaways from Tuesday night
South Korean and US militaries shorten drills by about half after Trump ordered a reduction
The South Korean and U.S. militaries detailed how they're scaling back joint drills, a reduction Trump ordered in an apparent bid to reengage with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump had ordered his Pentagon chief to "substantially reduce" the allies' summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, just before they began Monday for an 11-day run. Trump cited what he said was a good relationship with Kim and South Korea's refusal to support him over Iran.
South Korean officials said Trump’s surprise announcement came without prior notice, baffling many people in the Asian country and raising concerns about joint defense readiness.
South Korea's military said Wednesday the allies agreed to adjust the duration and scale of the exercises at the request of the U.S. It said the ongoing drills would end Friday, not Aug. 27 as initially planned. The allies also agreed to downsize some joint field training exercises.
Trump says US and Canada have reached last-minute deal to delay 50% US tariffs on Canadian imports
President Donald Trump says he's delaying the 50% U.S. tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian imports. The countries reached a deal less than two hours before the sanctions were to go into effect, buying time for more negotiations and avoiding for now another strain in already tense relations.
“I have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!” Trump posted on Truth Social.
If they had gone into effect as scheduled at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Trump’s import taxes would have hit Canadian products ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors.
But the political impact would likely have been bigger than the economic one. Canada had threatened to retaliate against any new tariffs with levies of its own, aggravating a trade fight between countries that sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.
Judge rules paint tests on Eisenhower Building can proceed, advancing Trump’s makeover plans for now
A federal district judge said Tuesday that paint tests on a 19th-century historic landmark building next to the White House can go ahead, advancing Trump's plans to add a new coat of white paint to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, for now.
Trump has suggested the massive building be painted as part of his push to remake and beautify the nation's capital. Planners said the paint job would cost at least $7.5 million.
The proposal to paint the building has alarmed preservationists, architects, historians and others who argue that granite is not meant to be painted and that paint would trap moisture and degrade the stone.
U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich said plaintiffs in an ongoing case had not shown that minimal tests planned for the historic building would cause irreparable harm if those tests go ahead.