Today in one sentence: The U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs; House Republicans proposed $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to help fund Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax plan; Trump signed an executive order directing drugmakers to cut U.S. drug prices or face federal intervention; Trump plans to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar’s royal family for use as Air Force One; and Stephen Miller said the White House is “actively looking at” suspending habeas corpus — the constitutional right to challenge detention in court — to block migrants from doing so; Trump appointed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

1/ The U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs. The U.S. dropped its combined tariff on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, while China cut its levies on U.S. products from 125% to 10%. The cuts do not reverse earlier tariffs from Trump’s first term or Biden’s term; the 20% fentanyl-related duty remains. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the previous tariff levels were “the equivalent of an embargo,” and claimed, “neither side wants that.” While the announcement triggered a stock market rally, businesses remain uncertain about what happens after August 10. Trump, nevertheless, called the deal a “total reset,” though the agreement includes no clear Chinese concessions and only outlines future meetings. (Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Axios / New York Times / CNBC / Washington Post / NPR / Bloomberg / Politico / NBC News / CNN)

2/ House Republicans proposed $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to help fund Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax plan. The bill would eliminate coverage for at least 8.6 million people, according to the Congressional Budget Office, with $715 billion of the savings coming from changes to federal health programs. It imposes work requirements, twice-yearly eligibility checks, and $35 co-pays on low-income enrollees, while disqualifying people with unverified citizenship or homes over $1 million. It also shortens ACA enrollment windows, restricts coverage renewals, and blocks Medicaid funds for Planned Parenthood and gender-affirming care for minors. Trump previously vowed not to cut Medicaid, but the bill does just that. (Associated Press / NBC News / New York Times / The Hill / Wall Street Journal / Washington Post)

3/ Trump signed an executive order directing drugmakers to cut U.S. drug prices or face federal intervention, reviving his “most favored nation” pricing plan that links U.S. prices to those paid in other wealthy countries. The order gives Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 30 days to negotiate price cuts, with a threat to impose mandatory caps if companies don’t comply. Trump claimed prices would fall “by 30% to 80%,” but the order lacks a clear enforcement mechanism and mirrors a 2020 attempt blocked by federal courts. (CNBC / New York Times / Politico / Axios / Wall Street Journal / Associated Press / CNN / NPR / NBC News)

4/ Trump plans to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet from Qatar’s royal family for use as Air Force One – a move that follows the Trump Organization’s deal to build a $5.5 billion golf resort in Qatar. The jet, valued at roughly $400 million, would be used by Trump while in office, then transferred to his presidential library. Despite the Constitution’s emoluments clause, which bars gifts from foreign governments without congressional approval, Trump rejected the ethical concerns, calling it a “great gesture” and said turning the offer would be “stupid.” Qatar, meanwhile, claims the deal is still under legal review, but White House lawyers and Attorney General Pam Bondi – a former lobbyist for Qatar – have signed off. (New York Times / Washington Post / CNN / The Hill / New York Times / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Politico / Associated Press / Reuters / New York Times / Wall Street Journal)

5/ Stephen Miller said the White House is “actively looking at” suspending habeas corpus — the constitutional right to challenge detention in court — to block migrants from doing so. He pointed to a clause allowing suspension during “invasion,” adding, “A lot of it depends on whether the courts do the right thing or not.” Trump has repeatedly called illegal immigration an “invasion” and dismissed due process as too slow: “We’d have to have a million or 2 million or 3 million trials.” Federal judges, including a Trump appointee, have ruled the administration’s actions don’t meet the legal standard for invasion. (NBC News / New York Times / Axios / The Hill / CNBC / Bloomberg / CNN / CBS News)

  • Federal agents arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka outside an ICE detention facility after a confrontation involving three House Democrats and immigration officials. Baraka was charged with trespassing. Video showed agents handcuffing him after he had returned to the public side of the gate, though DHS claimed Baraka and the lawmakers “stormed the gate” and endangered law enforcement. Lawmakers said they were conducting a lawful oversight visit and accused ICE agents of using force. DHS later said the three lawmakers may also face arrest. (CNN / Politico / Washington Post / Axios / CNBC / NBC News)

  • A federal judge ordered ICE to immediately release Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts, ruling her arrest was based solely on a campus op-ed criticizing Israel. Judge William Sessions said that “There is no evidence here […] absent consideration of the op-ed,” and called her continued detention “a violation of due process and First Amendment rights” and barred ICE from imposing travel restrictions or GPS monitoring. ICE agents arrested Ozturk in March outside her home near Boston and flew her to a detention facility in Louisiana. The Trump administration accused her of supporting Hamas but introduced no proof in court. (New York Times / CNN / Washington Post / NPR / Politico)

  • The Trump administration granted refugee status to 49 white Afrikaners, reopening admissions for the first time since freezing the program for nearly all other groups. Trump defended the move by alleging a “genocide” against white farmers in South Africa, saying, “Whether they’re White or Black makes no difference to me. But White farmers are being brutally killed.” South African officials called Trump’s claim “completely false.” (Washington Post / The Guardian / New York Times / Politico)

The midterm elections are in 540 days.

✏️ Notables.

  1. Trump appointed former Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. Pirro, who helped push Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election and was named in a $787 million defamation settlement, replaces Ed Martin, whose own ties to Jan. 6 derailed his nomination. (ABC News / New York Times / CNN / NPR / The Hill)

  2. Trump fired all three Democrats from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, eliminating the agency’s majority without citing cause. The firings came one week after the commissioners advanced new safety rules for lithium-ion batteries and blocked efforts by the White House to install two staffers from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. (Washington Post / The Verge / Bloomberg / NPR)

  3. Trump removed Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden and installed his criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche as acting replacement. The Library’s acting chief, Robert Newlen, said in an internal email that Congress “has not given direction” and that the leadership transition remains unresolved. Blanche, who also serves as deputy attorney general, represented Trump in his 2024 criminal trial and holds no background in library science. The White House said Hayden was fired because “she did not fit the needs of the American people,” citing concerns over her work on diversity initiatives and “inappropriate books,” despite the Library of Congress not serving children. (NBC News / Associated Press / Politico / Axios)

  4. Trump fired U.S. Copyright Office chief Shira Perlmutter by email. The White House gave no public reason for the removal, but Perlmutter’s firing came days after her office released a 100-page report warning that generative AI tools may be infringing copyrights by using creative works without permission. “Several stages in the development of generative AI involve using copyrighted works in ways that implicate the owners’ exclusive rights,” the report stated. (Washington Post / Associated Press / The Hill / Axios)

  5. Hamas freed the last known living American hostage in Gaza after direct talks with the Trump administration – sidestepping Israel. Trump claimed credit, calling the release of Edan Alexander “a step taken in good faith.” Israeli officials said no cease-fire or prisoner concessions were made – only that a “safe corridor” was arranged. (Associated Press / Politico / Washington Post / CNN / Wall Street Journal)

  6. Trump has received only 12 intelligence briefings since taking office in January, while his FBI director, Kash Patel, has cut his own daily briefings to twice a week. Trump, who rarely reads the written briefing and prefers to call allies for updates, has left intelligence officials concerned that vital warnings aren’t reaching him. Patel, meanwhile, has skipped the FBI’s standard daily brief and eliminated weekly calls with field offices. (Politico / NBC News)

Five years ago today: Day 1209: "That's not prevailing."