Today in one sentence: Trump notified seven more countries they’ll face new tariffs and threatened Brazil with a 50% tariff over what he called a “Witch Hunt” trial against former leader Jair Bolsonaro; Trump backed a Russia sanctions bill after senators gave him more power to delay enforcement; Trump threatened to "bomb the shit out of Moscow" and Beijing in 2024 if Russia invaded Ukraine or China attacked Taiwan; the FBI is investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey; and Trump threatened to take control of both New York City and Washington, D.C.


1/ Trump notified seven more countries they’ll face new tariffs and threatened Brazil with a 50% tariff over what he called a “Witch Hunt” trial against former leader Jair Bolsonaro. The White House has now sent 22 letters warning countries of tariffs set to take effect August 1. Trump’s promise of “90 deals in 90 days” has, so far, produced just two — with the U.K. and Vietnam. Nevertheless, Trump claimed “a letter means a deal,” even though nearly every country targeted hasn’t agreed to anything. (Axios / Associated Press / Washington Post / Wall Street Journal / Politico / New York Times / CNN / Bloomberg)

2/ Trump backed a Russia sanctions bill after senators gave him more power to delay enforcement. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who co-wrote the bill with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, said Trump “told me it’s time to move.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he expects the Senate to take up the bill before the August recess and is “coordinating closely” with the White House. On Tuesday, Trump publicly criticized Putin, calling his statements “meaningless” and saying, “We get a lot of bullshit thrown at us.” The bill includes two 180-day waivers for sanctions, with the second triggering a congressional vote, and targets buyers of Russian oil with tariffs and has over 80 Senate cosponsors. (Politico / Axios / Washington Post / Politico)

3/ Trump threatened to “bomb the shit out of Moscow” and Beijing in 2024 if Russia invaded Ukraine or China attacked Taiwan, according to audio from closed-door fundraisers. “And then [Putin] goes, like, ‘I don’t believe you.’ But the truth is, he believed me 10 percent,” Trump added. He said Xi Jinping “thought I was crazy” when he gave the same warning about Taiwan. Trump also said student protesters should be deported and claimed “the welfare people will always vote for Democrats,” urging donors to help him “set that movement back 25 to 30 years.” (CNN / NBC News / The Hill / CNBC / Reuters / Associated Press / New York Times)

4/ The FBI is investigating former CIA Director John Brennan and former FBI Director James Comey – two former officials who led the 2016 Russia investigation. Current CIA Director John Ratcliffe accused Brennan and Comey of lying to Congress about the use of the Steele dossier during the 2016 intelligence assessment on Russian election interference. A new, internal CIA review criticized Brennan’s role in pushing the Steele dossier, but didn’t challenge the finding that Russia favored Trump over Clinton. The review, however, made no mention of Comey and what prompted the Comey investigation is unclear. Trump, meanwhile, denied involvement, saying he only knew “what I read today” and called Comey and Brennan “very dishonest people.” (CNN / NBC News / New York Times)

5/ Trump threatened to take control of both New York City and Washington, D.C. “If a communist gets elected to run New York, it can never be the same,” he said, referring to Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani. “We have tremendous power at the White House to run places when we have to,” Trump said, adding, “We would run it so good.” Mamdani responded that Trump was “treating democracy like a suggestion.” Trump also said his administration is “testing” its relationship with D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and added, “We could run D.C. […] We’re thinking about doing it, to be honest with you.” (ABC News / Bloomberg / New York Post / New York Daily News / Axios)

The midterm elections are in 482 days.