Top Trump official ousted after chat group scandal: reports
Donald Trump’s national security advisor is to leave his post — the first major departure of the president’s new term — after being embroiled in a scandal over a chat group leak, US media reported Thursday.Mike Waltz and his deputy Alex Wong were both set to leave the White House, CBS News and others reported, while Fox News said Trump was expected to comment on the matter soon.The 51-year-old former congressman from Florida lasted just over 100 days of Trump’s second term, which has so far been more stable in terms of personnel than his first.Trump cycled through four national security advisors during his first presidency.A White House official did not confirm the reports, saying they “do not want to get ahead of any announcement.”Waltz showed no sign that he knew of his imminent departure when appearing early Wednesday on Fox News, where he hailed the new US minerals deal with Ukraine.”Nobody said (it) could be done. President Trump said ‘get it done’,” he said.Saying Trump has boosted US military recruitment, he added: “This is leadership at its finest, led by our commander in chief, who loves the troops and they love him.”Waltz also was present at Trump’s televised cabinet meeting on Wednesday.A former special forces officer, Waltz was seen as a moderate voice in the Trump administration when he was appointed, but reportedly clashed with other officials over his hawkish stance against Russia and Iran.Trump has pushed for Ukraine to reach a quick ceasefire deal with Russia, while reopening negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.- Chat group blunder -Steve Witkoff, a real estate magnate whom Trump has picked to lead US talks with both Russia and Iran, is in contention to replace Waltz, US media reported.Waltz had been under pressure since late March, when the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic Magazine revealed he had been mistakenly added to a chat on the commercial messaging app Signal about military attacks on Yemen’s Huthi rebels.Officials on the chat laid out the attack plan including the timings that US warplanes would take off to bomb targets, with the first texts barely half an hour before they launched.Despite intense media speculation that Trump would fire Waltz over the scandal, the president repeatedly offered his backing and the national security advisor appeared to have ridden out the storm.However, Waltz was among a number of White House staff targeted by a right-wing influencer and conspiracy theorist who met with Trump urging a purge.Laura Loomer, who is known for claiming that the September 11, 2001 attacks were an inside job, is reported to have successfully pushed for the dismissal of several senior US security officials she deemed disloyal to the president.After news of Waltz and Wong’s ouster was reported Thursday, Loomer posted on X: “SCALP.”Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also faced pressure over the scandal.”1215et: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”, Hegseth wrote in one text, referring to F/A-18 US Navy jets, before adding that “Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME.””1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets).”A short time later, Waltz sent real-time intelligence on the aftermath of an attack, writing that US forces had identified the target “walking into his girlfriend’s building and it’s now collapsed.”Reacting to Waltz’s reported dismissal on Thursday, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer posted on X: “Now do Hegseth.”
GM cuts 2025 outlook, projects up to $5 bn hit from tariffs
General Motors pledged Thursday to take additional steps to boost its US supply chain after projecting a $4-5 billion hit to the US auto giant’s 2025 earnings from President Donald Trump’s tariffs.GM expects to offset “at least” 30 percent of that tariff hit from “self help” measures that include relatively quick changes to its production and supply chain footprint, executives said.Chief Executive Mary Barra described her talks with Trump and his administration as “very productive,” praising a White House move on Tuesday to temper tariffs on auto parts as advancing “our shared goals of growing the US auto industry which will be good for America in the long term.”On Thursday, GM updated its adjusted earnings range to $10 billion to $12.5 billion from the earlier $13.7 billion-$15.7 billion.The impact includes $2 billion in estimated tariffs on finished vehicles from South Korea, where GM manufactures a number of value-priced autos, including the Chevrolet Trax, a small sport utility vehicle.GM postponed its earnings conference call until Thursday after Trump’s tariffs move. The US president also released a proclamation that gives the industry a two-year grace period to reduce “American reliance on imports of foreign automobiles and their parts” — designed to encourage firms to move supply chains stateside.Under that policy, companies that import parts for vehicles assembled in the United States would be able to offset 3.75 percent of a vehicle’s list price in the first year and 2.5 percent in the second year.But Trump has not taken steps to mitigate a 25 percent tariff on auto imports, which also affects GM vehicles made in Canada and Mexico.In media interviews Thursday, Barra said the company is considering its global operations in light of Trump’s tariff policy, while monitoring trade talks between the United States and South Korea.”Our entire footprint is under review,” Barra said on Fox Business.- Excess capacity -GM said earlier this month that it plans to boost truck production at its plant in Fort Wayne, Indiana.Barra signaled similar steps at other plants were likely, noting the company has “excess capacity” at manufacturing facilities in the United States and adjustments would be faster to make at existing factories.Other quick “self help” measures include shifting more electric battery module production to the United States and working with auto suppliers to boost their US-supplied content for GM vehicles, said Barra, who noted that the company is also working to avoid unnecessary discretionary spending.”There’s a lot of levers that we can pull,” Barra said. “We’ll be announcing more as we go forward.”- Higher retail prices? -GM’s American rival Ford reported a 16.2 percent surge in US auto sales for April after the company extended employee pricing to retail customers.Chief Executive Jim Farley told Fox Business on Wednesday that Ford will extend that promotion through the July 4 Independence Day holiday.Ford will have additional comment on tariffs when it reports earnings next week, but Farley told Fox Business that a push to have US-assembled vehicles made entirely of US-made parts would mean higher prices for customers.Even with Trump’s modifications, automakers face a 25 percent tariff on imported parts after the two-year grace period. Ford currently imports 15 percent of its parts.”What is the right balance between affordability and making 100 percent of the parts here?” Farley asked. “The issue is that it would increase the price a couple of thousand dollars, so that’s the debate right there.”Shares of GM rose 1.7 percent in morning trading, while Ford jumped 3.0 percent.
Pour le 1er-Mai, la gauche en ordre de marche pour parler aux travailleurs
Marine Tondelier, Olivier Faure et François Ruffin qui entonnent l’Internationale à Dunkerque aux côtés des salariés d’ArcelorMittal: pour ce 1er-Mai, la gauche veut se réapproprier la question du travail, éternel combat pour elle depuis qu’elle a perdu le vote ouvrier. “C’est un formidable symbole”, a vanté jeudi matin la patronne des Ecologistes Marine Tondelier, en saluant la venue de nombreux dirigeants de gauche dans le Nord pour la fête du Travail.Même si la fête a été gâchée plus tard dans la journée par des agressions émanant visiblement de black blocs contre le stand socialiste lors de la manifestation à Paris.A Dunkerque, dans une région ouvrière, le site d’ArcelorMittal est devenu le haut lieu de la contestation sociale depuis l’annonce de la suppression d’environ 600 postes par le géant de la sidérurgie.Dans un communiqué commun, l’ensemble de la gauche hormis La France insoumise (Parti socialiste, Parti communiste, Ecologistes, Génération.s et Picardie Debout, le parti de François Ruffin) a demandé une “intervention immédiate de l’Etat”, par une “nationalisation temporaire ou durable” et une entrée de l’Etat au capital. Un discours anti-libéral et protectionniste assumé puisque ces forces progressistes demandent également la mise en place de protections douanières “en urgence” sur l’acier. Le patron des députés PS Boris Vallaud a de son côté annoncé le dépôt d’une proposition de loi de mise “sous tutelle” par l’Etat de ce site. Chantre de la défense de la classe ouvrière et partisan affirmé du protectionnisme économique, François Ruffin a rappelé jeudi matin, devant le patron du PS Olivier Faure, que “la gauche socialiste a un passif” sur ce dossier.”ArcelorMittal c’est aussi Florange, c’est François Hollande qui avait promis de sauver cette industrie et qui finalement a abandonné les ouvriers, et ça laisse des traces”, a-t-il dénoncé.Olivier Faure, adversaire assumé de François Hollande à l’intérieur du Parti socialiste, n’a pas bronché. Le porte-parole du groupe écologiste à l’Assemblée nationale, le député Benjamin Lucas, a pour sa part indiqué à la presse qu’il allait “convoquer la direction d’ArcelorMittal” pour lui demander de “rendre des comptes” sur ces licenciements, alors que le géant de la sidérurgie est bénéficiaire et a été soutenu par des aides publiques.- LFI à part -Le communiqué commun de la gauche “a été publié sans nous être proposé”, a regretté le coordinateur de LFI Manuel Bompard, en appelant à “sauver les emplois et les savoir-faire”. Et le dirigeant du parti de dénoncer des “opérations politiciennes ou des combines de congrès”.Une délégation insoumise, menée par la présidente de la commission des Affaires économiques de l’Assemblée nationale Aurélie Trouvé, représentait le mouvement de gauche radicale à Dunkerque pour demander également la nationalisation d’ArcelorMittal.Mais c’est bien à Paris que Jean-Luc Mélenchon a livré sa traditionnelle adresse du 1er-Mai.Entre LFI et les syndicats, la CGT particulièrement, la relation n’est pas au beau fixe, notamment depuis les divergences d’approches lors de la lutte contre la réforme des retraites en 2023. Les seconds demandent régulièrement au premier de respecter leur autonomie.Devant ses militants jeudi, Jean-Luc Mélenchon a défendu sa vision “politique” de la fête du travail.”Pendant si longtemps, ce furent les syndicats qui unifiaient le 1er-Mai et la classe ouvrière du monde entier. Eh bien aujourd’hui, hélas, une telle unité n’a pas été possible. C’est donc à la politique de faire son travail et de dire +il faut changer le monde si vous voulez changer le travail+”, a-t-il déclaré alors que la journée internationale des travailleurs se tient cette année sans large unité syndicale”Il a parfois besoin de petits rappels” sur l’indépendance syndicale, “ce que la CGT ne manque pas de faire systématiquement, pour dire que les organisations syndicales sont là pour défendre les travailleurs et les travailleuses et ne se laisseront instrumentaliser par aucun objectif partisan”, a déclaré la secrétaire générale de la CGT Sophie Binet sur franceinfo à l’égard du leader insoumis.Pas sûr que cela suffise à convaincre les troupes mélenchonistes. “C’est vrai qu’on n’a pas toujours bien géré les relations avec les syndicats. Mais pardon, ils ne font rien non plus”, déplorait auprès de l’AFP un cadre insoumis avant la manifestation du 1er-Mai.”Ils n’ont rien proposé ces derniers mois contre le racisme ou le pouvoir d’achat… S’il n’y a pas d’initiative prise, on est obligé de les prendre à leur place”, assurait-il.
Pour le 1er-Mai, la gauche en ordre de marche pour parler aux travailleurs
Marine Tondelier, Olivier Faure et François Ruffin qui entonnent l’Internationale à Dunkerque aux côtés des salariés d’ArcelorMittal: pour ce 1er-Mai, la gauche veut se réapproprier la question du travail, éternel combat pour elle depuis qu’elle a perdu le vote ouvrier. “C’est un formidable symbole”, a vanté jeudi matin la patronne des Ecologistes Marine Tondelier, en saluant la venue de nombreux dirigeants de gauche dans le Nord pour la fête du Travail.Même si la fête a été gâchée plus tard dans la journée par des agressions émanant visiblement de black blocs contre le stand socialiste lors de la manifestation à Paris.A Dunkerque, dans une région ouvrière, le site d’ArcelorMittal est devenu le haut lieu de la contestation sociale depuis l’annonce de la suppression d’environ 600 postes par le géant de la sidérurgie.Dans un communiqué commun, l’ensemble de la gauche hormis La France insoumise (Parti socialiste, Parti communiste, Ecologistes, Génération.s et Picardie Debout, le parti de François Ruffin) a demandé une “intervention immédiate de l’Etat”, par une “nationalisation temporaire ou durable” et une entrée de l’Etat au capital. Un discours anti-libéral et protectionniste assumé puisque ces forces progressistes demandent également la mise en place de protections douanières “en urgence” sur l’acier. Le patron des députés PS Boris Vallaud a de son côté annoncé le dépôt d’une proposition de loi de mise “sous tutelle” par l’Etat de ce site. Chantre de la défense de la classe ouvrière et partisan affirmé du protectionnisme économique, François Ruffin a rappelé jeudi matin, devant le patron du PS Olivier Faure, que “la gauche socialiste a un passif” sur ce dossier.”ArcelorMittal c’est aussi Florange, c’est François Hollande qui avait promis de sauver cette industrie et qui finalement a abandonné les ouvriers, et ça laisse des traces”, a-t-il dénoncé.Olivier Faure, adversaire assumé de François Hollande à l’intérieur du Parti socialiste, n’a pas bronché. Le porte-parole du groupe écologiste à l’Assemblée nationale, le député Benjamin Lucas, a pour sa part indiqué à la presse qu’il allait “convoquer la direction d’ArcelorMittal” pour lui demander de “rendre des comptes” sur ces licenciements, alors que le géant de la sidérurgie est bénéficiaire et a été soutenu par des aides publiques.- LFI à part -Le communiqué commun de la gauche “a été publié sans nous être proposé”, a regretté le coordinateur de LFI Manuel Bompard, en appelant à “sauver les emplois et les savoir-faire”. Et le dirigeant du parti de dénoncer des “opérations politiciennes ou des combines de congrès”.Une délégation insoumise, menée par la présidente de la commission des Affaires économiques de l’Assemblée nationale Aurélie Trouvé, représentait le mouvement de gauche radicale à Dunkerque pour demander également la nationalisation d’ArcelorMittal.Mais c’est bien à Paris que Jean-Luc Mélenchon a livré sa traditionnelle adresse du 1er-Mai.Entre LFI et les syndicats, la CGT particulièrement, la relation n’est pas au beau fixe, notamment depuis les divergences d’approches lors de la lutte contre la réforme des retraites en 2023. Les seconds demandent régulièrement au premier de respecter leur autonomie.Devant ses militants jeudi, Jean-Luc Mélenchon a défendu sa vision “politique” de la fête du travail.”Pendant si longtemps, ce furent les syndicats qui unifiaient le 1er-Mai et la classe ouvrière du monde entier. Eh bien aujourd’hui, hélas, une telle unité n’a pas été possible. C’est donc à la politique de faire son travail et de dire +il faut changer le monde si vous voulez changer le travail+”, a-t-il déclaré alors que la journée internationale des travailleurs se tient cette année sans large unité syndicale”Il a parfois besoin de petits rappels” sur l’indépendance syndicale, “ce que la CGT ne manque pas de faire systématiquement, pour dire que les organisations syndicales sont là pour défendre les travailleurs et les travailleuses et ne se laisseront instrumentaliser par aucun objectif partisan”, a déclaré la secrétaire générale de la CGT Sophie Binet sur franceinfo à l’égard du leader insoumis.Pas sûr que cela suffise à convaincre les troupes mélenchonistes. “C’est vrai qu’on n’a pas toujours bien géré les relations avec les syndicats. Mais pardon, ils ne font rien non plus”, déplorait auprès de l’AFP un cadre insoumis avant la manifestation du 1er-Mai.”Ils n’ont rien proposé ces derniers mois contre le racisme ou le pouvoir d’achat… S’il n’y a pas d’initiative prise, on est obligé de les prendre à leur place”, assurait-il.
Religious schools close in Pakistani Kashmir as tensions rise with India
Authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir shut more than 1,000 religious schools Thursday over fears of possible military action from India in retaliation for last week’s deadly attack.India blames Pakistan for the gun attack that killed 26 people on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving his military “complete operational freedom”.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio late Wednesday separately called India’s top diplomat Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to “de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia”, the State Department said.Denying involvement in the attack, Islamabad says it has “credible evidence” that India is now planning an imminent military strike, vowing that “any act of aggression will be met with a decisive response”.Rubio “urged Pakistani officials’ cooperation in investigating this unconscionable attack”, said spokeswoman Tammy Bruce.India’s foreign minister said after the call that the attack’s “perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice”.Fearing a military escalation, Pakistani authorities shut more than 1,000 religious schools in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.”We have announced a 10-day break for all madrassas in Kashmir,” said Hafiz Nazeer Ahmed, head of the local religious affairs department.A department source said it was “due to tensions at the border and the potential for conflict”.On Thursday, New Delhi reported the seventh straight night of small arms gunfire between the two sides at the heavily militarised Line of Control, the de facto border.- ‘Constant fear’ -Muslim-majority Kashmir, a region of around 15 million people, is divided between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India which have fought several wars over the disputed territory.About 1.5 million people live near the ceasefire line on the Pakistani side, where residents are readying simple, mud-walled underground bunkers — reinforced with concrete if they could afford it. “For one week we have been living in constant fear, particularly concerning the safety of our children,” Iftikhar Ahmad Mir, a 44-year-old shopkeeper in Chakothi on the Line of Control (LoC), told AFP.”We make sure they don’t roam around after finishing their school and come straight home.”Emergency services workers in Muzaffarabad, the main city in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, have also begun training schoolchildren on what to do if India attacks. “We have learned how to dress a wounded person, how to carry someone on a stretcher and how to put out a fire,” said 11-year-old Ali Raza.- Tit for tat aggression -Since the attack — the deadliest in Kashmir on civilians in years — India and Pakistan have exchanged tit-for-tat diplomatic barbs and expulsions and shut border crossings.Indian police have issued wanted posters for three men suspected of involvement — two Pakistanis and an Indian — who they say belong to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist organisation.They have announced a two-million-rupee ($23,500) bounty for information leading to each man’s arrest and carried out sweeping detentions seeking anyone suspected of links to the attackers.New Delhi on Wednesday closed its airspace to Pakistani planes, after Islamabad banned Indian planes from overflying.India and Pakistan have fought over the Himalayan territory since the violent end of British rule in 1947.Rebels in the Indian-run area of Kashmir have waged an insurgency since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan.The worst attack in recent years in Indian-run Kashmir was at Pulwama in 2019, when a suicide bomber rammed a car packed with explosives into a security forces convoy, killing 40 and wounding 35.Indian fighter jets carried out air strikes on Pakistani territory 12 days later.burs-ecl/stm/pst
UK counter terrorism police probe Irish rappers Kneecap
British counter terrorism police Thursday launched an investigation into online videos of Irish rap group Kneecap after the band denied supporting Hamas and Hezbollah or inciting violence against UK politicians.The announcement came as nearly 40 other groups and artists, among them Pulp, Paul Weller and Primal Scream, rallied around the band in an escalating row about political messaging at its concerts.Other artists who have offered their support include The Pogues, Massive Attack, Dexys and Thin Lizzy.”As artists, we feel the need to register our opposition to any political repression of artistic freedom,” the group said in a joint statement.They added there had been a “clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform” the trio for their criticism of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, as well as of British colonialism in Ireland and beyond.Since the row erupted Kneecap has had several concerts cancelled, including one in southwest England and three in Germany.Festivals in the Czech Republic and The Netherlands were also monitoring the situation, according to the PA news agency.London’s Metropolitan Police said two videos had been “referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos”.The investigation was “now being carried out by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command and inquiries remain ongoing at this time”, it added.Kneecap on Monday apologised to the families of murdered British politicians and denied supporting Hamas and Hezbollah.- Call for ban -The row began after police on Sunday said they were examining video footage.One video appeared to show a band member shouting “up Hamas, up Hezbollah”.Those groups, in Gaza and in Lebanon, are banned as terror organisations in the UK and it is a crime to express support for them.Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin had urged the band to clarify whether they supported the groups or not.Video also emerged of the Belfast rap trio at a 2023 gig appearing to show one member saying: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”The family of Conservative MP David Amess, who was fatally stabbed by an Islamic State group follower in 2021, called for an apology from Kneecap while the party leader Kemi Badenoch called for the band to be banned.Other politicians have urged organisers of the Glastonbury festival to drop them from this year’s line-up.In its denial issued late on Monday, Kneecap said video footage had been “deliberately taken out of context.”Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah,” it said, adding the band would never “seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever”.”To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt,” it said, also referring to Labour MP Jo Cox who was murdered in 2016 by a neo-Nazi sympathiser a week before the divisive Brexit referendum.Amess’s daughter Katie, however, welcomed the investigation by counter terrorism police.”Kneecap’s rhetoric is not only abhorrent but poses a direct threat to the safety and well-being of elected officials,” she said. The war in Gaza was caused by an attack in Israel by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.Israel’s military response in Gaza has caused a humanitarian crisis and killed at least 52,243 people, mainly civilians, according to the Hamas-run Palestinian territory’s health ministry.