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Trump proposes 5 percent budget cut for each Cabinet agency

WASHINGTON — On the heels of a new Treasury Department report showing a 17 percent rise in the annual federal budget deficit, President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was asking his Cabinet to propose major belt-tightening.

“We’re going to be asking for a 5 percent cut from every secretary,” Trump told reporters, adding “if not more,” just before a Cabinet meeting when he actually sat down with his lieutenants a few minutes later.

Source: Trump proposes 5 percent budget cut for each Cabinet agency

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Trump launches process to quit 144-year-old postal treaty – BBC News

The US has announced plans to withdraw from a 144-year-old postal treaty, which the White House says lets China ship goods at unfairly low prices.

The United Nations treaty sets lower international rates for packages from certain countries, a move originally designed to support poorer nations.

But the US says the discounts put American businesses at a disadvantage.

Officials said they hope the notice of withdrawal will set the stage to agree a better deal.

“We’re looking for a fair system,” a senior administration official told reporters.

Source: Trump launches process to quit 144-year-old postal treaty – BBC News

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Federal Judge Rules In Favor Of Trump In Stormy Daniels Defamation Lawsuit : NPR

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against President Trump by adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claimed the president had defamed her earlier this year on Twitter.

The lawsuit was filed over a tweet Trump sent in April suggesting Daniels was lying about being threatened in 2011 not to go public with her story of an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.

“A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)!” the president tweeted.

Source: Federal Judge Rules In Favor Of Trump In Stormy Daniels Defamation Lawsuit : NPR

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Andrew Brunson: Trump meets US pastor freed by Turkey – BBC News

US pastor met President Donald Trump at the White House after more than two years’ detention in Turkey.

Andrew Brunson appeared in the Oval Office with President Trump following a case that has strained relations between the two countries.

Mr Brunson thanked the president and his administration for securing his release – and prayed for him.

President Trump thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for helping with his release.

He said the US had been working “long and hard” to secure Mr Brunson’s release, and told Mr Brunson he had “galvanized this country” with his strength and faith.

Source: Andrew Brunson: Trump meets US pastor freed by Turkey – BBC Newsz

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Two federal judges nominated by Trump confirmed for Pa. | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed two new federal judges in Pennsylvania who were nominated by President Donald Trump.

Peter Phipps, a federal prosecutor, will serve as judge in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Chad Kenney, who has been a Delaware County common pleas judge since 2003, will serve in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Source: Two federal judges nominated by Trump confirmed for Pa. | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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Trump’s ethanol move delivers gift to corn country – POLITICO

President Donald Trump has ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to expand sales of corn ethanol, a senior White House official said on Monday, delivering a gift to farm state Republicans a month before the midterm elections.

The move ends months of bitter behind-the-scenes fighting between corn backers and the oil industry over Trump’s calls to increase ethanol sales, and it could benefit Iowa’s Republican governor, who is trailing her Democratic challenger in the polls, as well as at least two Iowa House incumbents who are also vulnerable. But the oil industry’s most powerful trade group immediately said it will fight to block the action.

Source: Trump’s ethanol move delivers gift to corn country – POLITICO

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Trump signs bill to avoid government shutdown – CNNPolitics

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Friday signed a massive spending package that funds a large section of government and averts a shutdown, a White House aide confirmed.

The signing, which was scheduled to occur in private at noon on Friday, was done in the Oval Office and several lawmakers were present, the aide added.
The bill includes a continuing resolution that will fund remaining unfunded parts of government until December 7.

Source: Trump signs bill to avoid government shutdown – CNNPolitics

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Nafta: Donald Trump says US ‘not getting along’ with Canada – BBC News

Donald Trump has said he turned down a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, putting a damper on high hopes for trade renegotiations.

Mr Trump’s comments were made as Nafta talks continue to drag on.

“I must be honest with you, we’re not getting along at all with their negotiators,” he said at a United Nations news conference in New York.

He took aim at the country’s dairy tariffs and reiterated his threat to tax Canada’s auto industry.

“We don’t like their representative very much,” he said, which some took to mean Canadian foreign minister Chrystia Freeland, who has been leading the charge to have a new deal in place.

Source: Nafta: Donald Trump says US ‘not getting along’ with Canada – BBC News