Domestic Affairs
Introduction On May 8, 2025, Congress sharpened its oversight of U.S. defense policy and military modernization with two high-profile hearings. The Senate Armed Services Committee convened to consider pivotal Pentagon nominations, including candidates for Under Secretary of the Army and Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
Domestic Affairs
Introduction In March 2025, the U.S. trade deficit surged to an unprecedented $140.5 billion, a 14% increase from the previous month and the largest monthly gap ever recorded. This dramatic widening was driven by a rush of imports as American companies raced to stockpile goods-especially pharmaceuticals-before the imposition
Economy
Introduction The Federal Reserve’s May 2025 policy meeting comes at a moment of heightened economic uncertainty for the United States. The central bank faces persistent inflation, a recent contraction in GDP, and the complex effects of President Trump’s new tariffs. Markets, businesses, and policymakers are watching closely for
Domestic Affairs
Introduction On May 6, 2025, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Washington, D.C., for his first official meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump-a summit widely viewed as one of the most consequential and contentious in the modern history of U.S.-Canada relations. The two leaders met
Economy
Overview The U.S. services sector, a cornerstone of the national economy, demonstrated unexpected resilience and expansion in April 2025. According to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), the Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 51.6, surpassing both the previous month’s reading and economists’ expectations. This marks
Domestic Affairs
Introduction In a sweeping move with far-reaching implications for the American economy, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division have initiated a comprehensive review of federal regulations deemed to be anticompetitive. This initiative, announced on May 5, 2025, is a direct response to President
Domestic Affairs
On the evening of Sunday, May 4, 2025, President Donald Trump jolted the global entertainment industry and financial markets by announcing a sweeping 100% tariff on all films produced outside the United States. Framed as a measure to “save a dying Hollywood” and protect national security, the announcement immediately sent
Domestic Affairs
President Donald Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal, unveiled on May 2, 2025, marks a significant shift in federal spending priorities, emphasizing a robust increase in defense and homeland security funding while proposing steep cuts to a broad range of non-defense discretionary programs. This budget, often described as a
Domestic Affairs
Introduction Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a close ally of President Donald Trump, is spearheading a sweeping bipartisan effort to impose new, severe sanctions on Russia and to levy unprecedented tariffs on any country that continues to buy Russian oil, gas, or uranium. As Trump struggles to fulfill his campaign
Economy
Introduction General Motors (GM), the largest U.S. automaker, is bracing for a potential $5 billion hit from tariffs in 2025, prompting the company to slash its profit outlook and suspend share buybacks. The tariff exposure-driven by President Trump’s sweeping 25% duties on imported vehicles and auto parts-has forced
Domestic Affairs
Introduction President Donald Trump is set to remove National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, following weeks of mounting controversy over Waltz’s mishandling of sensitive information in an unsecured Signal group chat. The incident, which involved the inadvertent inclusion of a journalist in a discussion of classified military operations, has rocked
Domestic Affairs
Introduction The U.S. economy shrank by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2025, marking its first contraction since 2022 and a dramatic reversal from the robust 2.4% growth recorded at the end of last year[1][2][3][4][5][6]. This downturn, captured in the Commerce