The Latest: Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries

President Donald Trump has resurrected a hallmark policy of his first term, announcing that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the United States and those from seven others would face restrictions.

Meanwhile, Germany’s new leader, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, is meeting Trump in Washington on Thursday as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support for Ukraine, help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe’s biggest economy and further bolster his country’s long-criticized military spending.

Here’s the latest:

Trump says it’s ‘an honor’ to have foreign students studying in the US

Trump said, “we want to have foreign students come,” though he signed an executive order Wednesday night to block nearly all such students from coming to study at Harvard.

It’s part of the Republican president’s ongoing fight with the Ivy League school.

Trump’s order cites national security as a reason to block Harvard from continuing to host foreign students on its campus in Massachusetts.

Under Biden, Trump says ‘whoever used the autopen was the president’

Trump has again decried former President Joe Biden’s use of an autopen to sign pardons and other documents.

In the Oval Office, Trump called the usage “very dangerous” and “inappropriate,” saying he can tell “easily” when an autopen is being used.

On Wednesday, Trump directed his administration to investigate Biden’s actions as president, casting doubts on the legitimacy of his use of the autopen to sign pardons and other documents.

In a statement, Biden has called any suggestion that he didn’t make such decisions “ridiculous and false.”

Trump says he and Xi have ‘straightened out any complexity’

Following his discussion with Xi earlier Thursday, Trump told reporters he thinks the U.S. is “in very good shape with China and the trade deal,” but he didn’t offer any specifics.

He said the U.S. has a deal with China but is sending a team for more trade talks to “make sure that everybody understands what the deal is.”

Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump will be going to China to accept Xi’s invitation to visit “at a certain point.”

Trump calls Merz ‘difficult’ — but says that’s a good thing

Trump says Merz is “a very good man to deal with” and a great representative of Germany.

But he went on to say that he’s also “difficult,” suggesting it as a compliment.

“You wouldn’t want me to say that you’re easy,” Trump said, turning to Merz, who smiled.

Trump says travel ban ‘can’t come soon enough’

Asked about his travel ban proposal as he and Merz sat in the Oval Office, Trump said “it can’t come soon enough.”

Turning to Merz, Trump said, “It’s not your fault.” Of migration under Merz’s predecessor, former Chancellor Angela Merkel, Trump added: “I told her it shouldn’t have happened.”

Merz is the current leader of Merkel’s party but has diverged from her in several ways, notably including cutting irregular migration as one of his focuses.

Merz says it’s his first time at the White House since 1982

Ronald Reagan was in office during Merz’s last visit to the Oval Office, he said.

“I’m very happy to be here again and offer our close cooperation with the United States of America,” he told Trump.

Merz said Germans “owe the Americans a lot” and “we will never forget about that.”

The chancellor also noted Trump’s German background and said it’s was a “good basis” for consultation. Trump’s grandfather was born in Germany.

Merz presents Trump with his grandfather’s birth certificate

The German leader met with the president in the Oval Office and presented him with a gilded gift — a framed copy of Trump’s grandfather’s birth certificate.

Trump’s grandfather Friedrich Trump immigrated to America from Germany.

The birth certificate was in a gold frame, reflecting Trump’s favorite hue which he’s used to ornament his White House office.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrives at the White House

A U.S. military Honor Guard lined the driveway entrance as the chancellor arrived, shaking hands with Trump and walking inside.

Asked by reporters to delineate a message to the people of Germany, Trump responded, “We love the people of Germany,” following up by saying his call with Xi earlier in the day “went very well.”

Merz is meeting Trump in Washington as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support for Ukraine, help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe’s biggest economy and further bolster his country’s long-criticized military spending.

Trump and Merz are slated to have lunch following a meeting in the Oval Office.

Chinese president says Trump is welcome to visit China again

In turn, Trump expressed “sincere thanks,” according to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua. However, no state visit is confirmed.

In his post, Trump said he “reciprocated” the invitation. “As Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing,” Trump wrote.

Trump, during his first term, visited China in 2017. Trump earlier in 2017 hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago.

There was no state visit by either Chinese or U.S. leader to each other’s country during the Biden administration, but the two leaders met in 2023 when the U.S. was hosting the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, a grouping of 21 economies.

Trump says his conversation with Xi had a ‘very positive conclusion’

“Our respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will represent the U.S. side in negotiations.

The Republican president also said Xi “graciously” invited him and first lady Melania Trump to China, and Trump reciprocated with his own invitation for Xi to visit the United States.

The Chinese foreign ministry said Trump initiated the call between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.

China and US agree to more tariff talks amid trade standoff, Trump says after call with Xi

Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke Thursday at a time when stalled tariff negotiations between their two countries have roiled global trade.

The conversation was confirmed by the Chinese foreign ministry, which said Trump initiated the call. The White House did not immediately comment.

Trump had declared one day earlier that it was difficult to reach a deal with Xi.

‘Our country is better than this,’ Democratic senator says of Trump’s travel ban

Sen. Alex Padilla of California said the “senseless, prejudicial policy” is not only an abuse of power but it targets U.S. citizen relatives of the countries.

“We cannot allow this Administration to continue scapegoating individuals based on religion or nationality,” he said in a statement.

Trade deficit plunged in April as tariffs kicked in

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed dramatically in April as imports plummeted in the aftermath of the sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs imposed by Trump April 2.

The sharp fall reversed a surge in imports in March that were brought in by companies rushing to get ahead of the duties.

The trade deficit — the gap between what the U.S. imports and what it sends overseas — dropped from a record high of nearly $140 billion in March to just $61.6 billion in April. Goods imports fell nearly 20% in April compared to the previous month. Trump announced steep tariffs on nearly 60 nations April 2, including top trading partners such as China and the European Union, only to postpone them a week later for 90 days.

The sharp swings in imports are distorting the broadest measure of the U.S. economy, gross domestic product, which shrank 0.2% in the first three months of this year.

No breakthroughs expected on trade, Merz says

Merz said Thursday before meeting Trump that “we will have to talk about trade policy” but said he didn’t anticipate any major breakthroughs on the issue.

“Germany is one of the very big investors in America,” Merz said in a meeting with German reporters. “Only a few countries invest more than Germany in the USA. We are in third place in terms of foreign direct investment.”

Merz added “I am looking forward to the talks, but I do not expect there to be any breakthroughs in the three major areas mentioned.”

He had earlier identified NATO spending, the Ukraine war, and the tariff conflicts between the U.S. and the EU as the most important topics.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz previews meeting with Trump

Ahead of his meeting with Trump on Thursday at the White House, Merz told reporters “the meeting has been well prepared on all sides.”

Merz said important issues he would like to talk about with the president include such issues as the war in Ukraine and how to bring an end to it, disputed tariffs, and NATO spending.

“We will have to talk about NATO — we changed the constitution in Germany so that we can spend the means that need to be spend,” Merz said, adding “we want to become the strongest conventional army in the European Union.”

The chancellor is referring to the move from his coalition to push through parliament plans to enable higher defense spending by loosening strict rules on incurring debt.

Usha Vance launching effort to encourage children to read

In a rare interview, the second lady told Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” on Thursday that the White House summer reading challenge she launched aims to combat reading loss and improve literacy rates among children.

The program for children in kindergarten through eighth grade rewards kids who report reading 12 books this summer with a certificate, a small prize and an entrance into a drawing to win a trip to Washington.

Vance said in the interview that the summer reading challenge is not the “end all, be all” to address declining reading scores among kids but a “proof of concept.”

“My goal is to try to come up with small ways in which I can use my platform to counteract some of those issues,” she said.

David Jolly, a Trump critic and former GOP congressman, to run for Florida governor as a Democrat

The vocal critic of Trump is seeking to become governor in the president’s adopted home state.

Jolly formally announced his bid Thursday, becoming the latest party convert hoping to wrest back control of what had been the country’s premier swing state that in recent years has made a hard shift to the right. Under state law, term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis can’t run for reelection in 2026.

Even as Florida serves as a place for the Trump administration to poach staff and test policies, Jolly says he’s confident that issues such as affordability, funding public schools, and strengthening campaign finance and ethics laws will resonate with all voters in 2026. He predicts elections next year will herald nationwide change.

“I actually think Republicans in Tallahassee have gone too far in dividing us. I think we should get politicians out of the classrooms, out of the doctor’s offices,” Jolly said.

▶ Read more about David Jolly’s campaign for Florida governor

Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have spoken amid stalled talks over tariffs

The discussion Thursday followed Trump suggesting it was tough to reach a deal with Xi.

“I like President XI of China, always have, and always will, but he is VERY TOUGH, AND EXTREMELY HARD TO MAKE A DEAL WITH!!!,” Trump posted Wednesday on his social media site.

Trade negotiations between the United States and China stalled shortly after a May 12 agreement between both countries to reduce their tariff rates in order to have talks. Behind the gridlock has been the continued competition for an economic edge.

▶ Read more about relations between the U.S. and China

How is the new travel ban different from Trump’s 2017 ban?

During his first term, Trump issued an executive order in January 2017 banning travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries including Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.

It was one of the most chaotic and confusing moments of his young presidency. Travelers from those nations were either barred from getting on their flights to the U.S. or detained at U.S. airports after they landed. They included students and faculty, as well as business people, tourists and people visiting friends and family.

The order, often referred to as the “Muslim ban” or the “travel ban,” was retooled amid legal challenges until a version was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018.

The ban affected various categories of travelers and immigrants from Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, plus North Koreans and some Venezuelan government officials and their families.

Reactions to Trump’s travel ban

International aid groups and refugee resettlement organizations roundly condemned the new ban.

“This policy is not about national security — it is about sowing division and vilifying communities that are seeking safety and opportunity in the United States,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America.

The African Union Commission expressed concern Thursday about the “the potential negative impact” of the ban on educational exchanges, business ties and broader diplomatic relations.

“The African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the U.S. administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned,” the commission said in a statement.

European Central Bank cuts benchmark interest rate as Trump tariffs threaten economy

The ECB cut its benchmark interest rate for an eighth time, aiming to support businesses and consumers with more affordable borrowing as Trump’s trade war threatens to slow already tepid growth.

The bank’s rate-setting council cut interest rates by a quarter of a point Thursday at the bank’s skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt. Analysts expected a cut, given the gloomier outlook for growth since Trump announced a slew of new tariffs April 2 and subsequently threatened to impose a crushing 50% tariff, or import tax, on European goods.

The bigger question remains how far the bank will go at subsequent meetings. Bank President Christine Lagarde’s remarks at a post-decision news conference will be scrutinized for hints about the bank’s outlook.

▶ Read more about the European Central Bank

How Trump justified the travel ban

Since returning to the White House, Trump has launched an unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement that has pushed the limits of executive power and clashed with federal judges trying to restrain him.

The travel ban results from a Jan. 20 executive order Trump issued requiring the departments of State and Homeland Security and the Director of National Intelligence to compile a report on “hostile attitudes” toward the U.S.

In a video released on social media, Trump tied the new ban to a terror attack Sunday in Boulder, Colorado, saying it underscored the dangers posed by some visitors who overstay visas. The suspect in the attack is from Egypt, a country that is not on Trump’s restricted list. The Department of Homeland Security says he overstayed a tourist visa.

Trump’s Thursday schedule, according to the White House

1. 11:30 a.m. — Trump will greet German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

2. 11:45 a.m. — The two will have a meeting in the Oval Office

3. 12:25 p.m. — Trump and Merz will have lunch

4. 4:00 p.m. — Trump will participate in a roundtable discussion with the Fraternal Order of Police

Thune’s first big test as Senate leader has arrived with Trump’s tax bill

Only six months into the job, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces a massive challenge as he tries to quickly push President Trump’s sprawling tax and spending cuts package to passage with the support of a divided GOP conference.

While most Republican senators are inclined to vote for the bill, Thune can stand to lose only four votes in the face of united Democratic opposition — and many more Republicans than that are critical of the version sent over by the House.

To get it done by July 4 — Trump’s deadline — Thune has to figure out how to balance the various, and sometimes conflicting, demands emerging from his members. And he has to do it in a way that doesn’t endanger Republican support in the House, which passed the legislation by only one vote last month after weeks of contentious negotiations.

▶ Read more about Thune and the tax bill

New German leader plans to discuss Ukraine and trade with Trump in Oval Office visit

Germany’s new leader is meeting with Trump Washington on Thursday as he works to keep the U.S. on board with Western support for Ukraine, help defuse trade tensions that pose a risk to Europe’s biggest economy and further bolster his country’s long-criticized military spending.

Trump and Chancellor Friedrich Merz have spoken several times by phone, either bilaterally or with other European leaders, since Merz took office on May 6. German officials say the two leaders have started to build a “decent” relationship, with Merz wanting to avoid the antagonism that defined Trump’s relationship with one of his predecessors, Angela Merkel, in the Republican president’s first term.

The 69-year-old Merz is a conservative former rival of Merkel’s who took over her party after she retired from politics. Merz also comes to office with an extensive business background — something that could align him with Trump.

▶ Read more about their upcoming meeting

Trump moves to block US entry for foreign students planning to study at Harvard University

Trump is moving to block nearly all foreign students from entering the country to attend Harvard University, his latest attempt to choke the Ivy League school from an international pipeline that accounts for a quarter of the student body.

In an executive order signed Wednesday, Trump declared that it would jeopardize national security to allow Harvard to continue hosting foreign students on its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

It’s a further escalation in the White House’s fight with the nation’s oldest and wealthiest university. A federal court in Boston blocked the Department of Homeland Security from barring international students at Harvard last week. Trump’s order invokes a different legal authority.

In a statement Wednesday night, Harvard said it will “continue to protect its international students.”

“This is yet another illegal retaliatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights,” university officials said.

▶ Read more about the executive order

Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries set to go into effect Monday

Trump on Wednesday resurrected a hallmark policy of his first term, announcing that citizens of 12 countries would be banned from visiting the United States and those from seven others would face restrictions.

The ban takes effect Monday at 12:01 a.m., a cushion that may avoid the chaos that unfolded at airports nationwide when a similar measure took effect with virtually no notice in 2017. Trump, who signaled plans for a new ban upon taking office in January, appears to be on firmer ground this time after the Supreme Court sided with him.

Some, but not all, 12 countries also appeared on the list of banned countries in Trump’s first term. The new ban includes Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

There will be heightened restrictions on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

▶ Read more about the ban