Apr. 7, 2025: President Trump Statements

Nota: US Crude Oil Futures Drop Below $60 per Barrel to Lowest Level in 4 Years

"Yesterday, China issued Retaliatory Tariffs of 34%, on top of their already record setting Tariffs, Non-Monetary Tariffs, Illegal Subsidization of companies, and massive long term Currency Manipulation, despite my warning that any country that Retaliates against the U.S. by issuing additional Tariffs, above and beyond their already existing long term Tariff abuse of our Nation, will be immediately met with new and substantially higher Tariffs, over and above those initially set. Therefore, if China does not withdraw its 34% increase above their already long term trading abuses by tomorrow, April 8th, 2025, the United States will impose ADDITIONAL Tariffs on China of 50%, effective April 9th. Additionally, all talks with China concerning their requested meetings with us will be terminated! Negotiations with other countries, which have also requested meetings, will begin taking place immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

"Countries from all over the World are talking to us. Tough but fair parameters are being set. Spoke to the Japanese Prime Minister this morning. He is sending a top team to negotiate! They have treated the U.S. very poorly on Trade. They don’t take our cars, but we take MILLIONS of theirs. Likewise Agriculture, and many other “things.” It all has to change, but especially with CHINA!!!"

"The United States has a chance to do something that should have been done DECADES AGO. Don’t be Weak! Don’t be Stupid! Don’t be a PANICAN (A new party based on Weak and Stupid people!). Be Strong, Courageous, and Patient, and GREATNESS will be the result!"

"Oil prices are down, interest rates are down (the slow moving Fed should cut rates!), food prices are down, there is NO INFLATION, and the long time abused USA is bringing in Billions of Dollars a week from the abusing countries on Tariffs that are already in place. This is despite the fact that the biggest abuser of them all, China, whose markets are crashing, just raised its Tariffs by 34%, on top of its long term ridiculously high Tariffs (Plus!), not acknowledging my warning for abusing countries not to retaliate. They’ve made enough, for decades, taking advantage of the Good OL’ USA! Our past “leaders” are to blame for allowing this, and so much else, to happen to our Country. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Top 5 new military facilities that could FLIP global power balance

Major powers are leveling up their military game with new facilities around the globe.
Here’s the top five list of such sites.

Russia’s military base in Sudan

The Sudanese Foreign Ministry earlier confirmed that Russia is building a military base in the East African nation near the Red Sea.
The base is expected to allow Russia to secure its presence on a key shipping route and increase its assertiveness in Africa.

US Andersen Air Force Base on Guam

New facilities are being built in the Pacific to deploy advanced strategic bombers, such as the B-21 Raider, that could be used for operations amid the US’ tensions with China and North Korea.

The goal is to strengthen America’s Pacific posture and improve responsiveness of US air forces.

China's ‘military city’

The People’s Liberation Army is reportedly constructing a new huge command center in the capital Beijing that is expected to be at least 10 times larger than the US Pentagon.
Western intelligence agencies fear that the construction could mean that China is preparing for a large-scale or even nuclear war.

India’s island military buildup

New Delhi is creating military infrastructure in its Andaman and Nicobar Islands amid concerns over what India sees as China’s “suspicious” activities in the Pacific.
Analysts say that developing strategic infrastructure such as naval air stations, ports and related infrastructure aims to fortify the Indian presence in the region.

Australia’s maintenance hub

The Canberra government plans to pump $127 million over three years to upgrade facilities at the Henderson shipyard near Perth, saying that will become the maintenance hub for its nuclear-powered submarine fleet within the AUKUS alliance that Australia clinched with the US and Britain.

Watch China holding Thunder of the Strait drills

The exercises in East #China Sea are aimed at controlling the supply of energy resources and cutting off hidden channels. The training grounds echoed with gunfire, suppressing #separatism.

PLA conducts military drills around Taiwan to defend China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity – statement

The exercises serve as a strong warning against the reckless provocations of the Lai Ching-te administration, which continues to push to destabilize the region, Zhu Fengliang, a spokeswoman for the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office, said, as quoted by China Central Television (CCTV). #China firmly upholds the principle that Taiwan is an inalienable part of its territory and will never allow any external interference or separatist agenda to divide the nation, she added.

#Taiwan deploys jets as Chinese #warships spotted drilling near its coast

What is known about impacts of Earthquake in Myanmar, Thailand

A powerful #earthquake has struck #Myanmar, and tremors were felt in #China, #Thailand, and #Vietnam. At least 43 workers were trapped in the debris of a collapsed building in Bangkok, AFP news agency reported.

Magnitude
- According to the Chinese Seismological Administration, the magnitude of the earthquake was measured at 7.9.
- The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center estimated the magnitude at 7.7. The earthquake occurred 33 km southwest of the city of Mandalay, home to about 1.2 million people. According to the center, the epicenter was at a depth of 10 km.
- Chinese seismologists believe the epicenter lay at a depth of 30 km. The epicenter was at 21.85 degrees north latitude and 95.95 degrees east longitude.
- The tremors were felt in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- A second, 6.4-magnitude earthquake occurred in Myanmar 12 minutes later, the Chinese Seismological Administration said. The second tremor was recorded at 21.60 degrees north latitude and 95.95 degrees east longitude. Its epicenter was at a depth of 30 km.

Fallout
- The earthquake damaged a 1 km bridge over the Irrawaddy River, linking the suburbs of Myanmar’s second largest city, Mandalay, with the city of Sagaing, the Myanmar Now portal reported.
- The portal reported that the historic Mandalay Palace has partially collapsed.
- A building fell in Bangkok due to the earthquake, Khaosod newspaper reported.
- At least 43 workers were trapped under the rubble, AFP news agency reported.
- Evacuation of residents of multi-storey buildings began in Bangkok.
- Thailand's aviation regulator halted all flights after the earthquake, The Nation newspaper reported.
- The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of potential imminent aftershocks, Khaosod newspaper reported.

Reaction
- Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra suspended a working event in the Phuket Province to hold an emergency meeting.
- The Russian embassy is checking for possible injured citizens, said Ilya Ilyin, head of the consular department of the Russian diplomatic mission.

FLOP! - US, UK do not sign final declaration of AI summit in Paris

The United States and the United Kingdom were not among the signatories of the Paris #AI Action Summit’s final declaration, according to the document, published by the Elysee Palace. The final declaration, signed by 61 countries including China, France and India, calls for "ensuring AI is open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy." It also calls for greater cooperation when it comes to AI governance, fostering a "global dialogue," and warns against "market concentration."

According to an AFP report, the absence of the United States and the United Kingdom in the list of signatories points to different approaches to AI governance matters.

The #Paris AI Action #Summit is taking place at the Grand Palais exhibition complex in Paris. Its co-chairs are French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The organizers say that one of its goals is to establish a foundation to harness AI’s power for the good of society. Paris expects this fund to raise over 2.5 billion euro for its projects within the next five years.

Trump announces talks with Canada, Mexico following decision to impose tariffs

President #Trump said he will conduct talks with Canadian Prime Minister Justin #Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia #Sheinbaum on February 3. "I've spoken with people from Canada, I've spoken with people from Mexico, and I've spoken to a lot of other people too. I'm speaking with prime minister Trudeau tomorrow morning, and I'm also speaking with Mexico tomorrow morning. I don't expect anything very dramatic, we put tariffs on. They owe us a lot of money, and I'm sure they're going to pay," he told reporters at the Joint Base Andrews.
On Saturday, President Trump signed an executive order, applying tariffs against goods from Canada, China and Mexico. The document states that duties of 25% are imposed against imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian energy products). Additional tariffs of 10% are imposed against Chinese goods. According to Trump, this effort was made because of the "extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs, including deadly fentanyl" that kill US citizens.

In response, the #Canadian authorities imposed retaliatory duties of 25% on American goods totaling 155 bln Canadian dollars ($106.5 bln). Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Ottawa is also considering non-tariff retaliatory measures against the United States concerning critical minerals and energy.

#Mexico's president said her country will respond to the imposition of duties by the US with tariffs and non-tariff measures, but remains open to dialogue and suggested Trump create a working group to resolve the situation.

The Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission just confirmed all of President Trump's allegations against #Panama for violating the Canal Treaty.
He broke down how #China now controls it and why it's vital that the United States intervenes before it's too late.

"Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in “repair” money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about “anything.” Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World. Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will!

Merry Christmas to the Radical Left Lunatics, who are constantly trying to obstruct our Court System and our Elections, and are always going after the Great Citizens and Patriots of the United States but, in particular, their Political Opponent, ME. They know that their only chance of survival is getting pardons from a man who has absolutely no idea what he is doing. Also, to the 37 most violent criminals, who killed, raped, and plundered like virtually no one before them, but were just given, incredibly, a pardon by Sleepy Joe Biden. I refuse to wish a Merry Christmas to those lucky “souls” but, instead, will say, GO TO HELL! We had the Greatest Election in the History of our Country, a bright light is now shining over the U.S.A. and, in 26 days, we will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

Dec. 22, 2024 - President Donald J. Trump Statement

The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security. A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to U.S. ports. The United States is the Number One user of the Canal, with over 70 percent of all transits heading to, or from, U.S. ports. Considered one of the Wonders of the Modern World, the Panama Canal opened for business 110 years ago, and was built at HUGE cost to the United States in lives and treasure - 38,000 American men died from infected mosquitos in the jungles during construction. Teddy Roosevelt was President of the United States at the time of its building, and understood the strength of Naval Power and Trade. When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar, during his term in Office, it was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else. It was likewise not given for Panama to charge the United States, its Navy, and corporations, doing business within our Country, exorbitant prices and rates of passage. Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete “rip-off” of our Country will immediately stop.

The United States has a vested interest in the secure, efficient, and reliable operation of the Panama Canal, and that was always understood. We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands! It was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question. To the Officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly!

#TRUMP2024