Media Reports Prompt Trump to End Plan to Brief Musk on Secret Potential War Plans for China

Mar 22, 2025 | Rachel Maddow follows up on last night's breaking news that the Pentagon planned to brief Donald Trump's top campaign donor, Elon Musk, on top-secret U.S. plans for a potential war with China, with new reports that Trump says he only learned of the plan from the media and ordered that the briefing not take place. Trump's explanation is not especially reassuring as it raises new, unsettling questions.

Walz Reacts to NYT Report that Pentagon Will Brief Musk on Secret Plan for Potential War with China

Mar 21, 2025 | Minnesota Governor Tim Walz shares his reaction with Rachel Maddow to breaking news from the New York Times that the Pentagon plans to brief Elon Musk on the top-secret plans the U.S. has in place in the event of a potential war with China.

Jesse Dollemore: Insane Fox Interview! Trump Calls Canada Enemy and Russia Friend!

May 19, 2025 | Jesse talks about the upside-down world that Trump has created and the bizarre interview he did with Laura Ingraham last night, where he viciously attacked Canada while inviting Russia to be a trading partner with the United States.

Xi Jinpings Pläne: Wie gefährlich sind sie für Europa? | auslandsjournal

Mar 9, 2025 | Nicht nur Donald Trump arbeitet an einer neuen Weltordnung. China ist schon seit Jahren dabei, Kräfteverhältnisse und Einflusssphären auf der ganze Welt zu seinen Gunsten zu verschieben. Wohin geht es für China, seit den Strafzöllen und dem Handelskrieg mit den USA? Wie wichtig Technik in dieser Weltordnung sind, seht ihr in diesem Video.

‘Deadly Serious’: Rep. Moulton Warns ‘Chances of War' with China Are 'Going Up Dramatically’

Mar 8, 2025 | Today, House Republicans announced their plan for a continuing resolution to keep the government open with just one week left until a potential federal shutdown. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., joins Alex Witt to share his thoughts on federal funding, President Trump’s wavering tariff threats on Canada and China, cuts to the VA, and more.

China Says It Is ‘Ready for War’ with America

THE TELEGRAPH: Beijing boosts defence spending by 7.2 per cent and warns Washington it is prepared to ‘fight till the end’

China says it is “ready for war” with America as it raises defence spending and imposes retaliatory tariffs on US imports.

In a direct threat to Donald Trump, China’s representatives in America said: “If war is what the US wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.”

The US has hit China with 20 per cent tariffs in response to what the White House considers to be Chinese inaction over the flow of fentanyl into America.

Beijing has responded by announcing plans to boost defence spending by 7.2 per cent and to hit the US with reciprocal tariffs of 10 to 15 per cent on certain imports from March 10.

In combative statements online, China’s ministry of foreign affairs and the US embassy warned Washington that “intimidation does not scare us” and criticised Mr Trump for linking tariffs to the fentanyl crisis. » | Sarah Newey, Global Health Security Correspondent, in Bangkok | Wednesday, March 5, 2025

China’s Defence Ministry Warns Taiwan ‘We Will Get You, Sooner or Later’

THE GUARDIAN: Threat after Taipei announces bigger military drills appears to mirror a line from children’s film Ne Zha 2

China’s defence ministry spokesperson has warned Taiwan “we will come and get you, sooner or later”, after Taipei announced an expansion of military exercises.

The threat was delivered in a press conference on Thursday, but grabbed attention inside China for its apparent mirroring of a line from the record-breaking children’s movie Ne Zha 2.

Wu Qian was asked by journalists in Beijing about reports that Taiwan’s annual live-fire drills, the Han Kuang exercise, would expand in scope this year. The drills are a big part of Taiwan’s defensive preparations to deter or one day resist an attack by China, which has vowed to annex the territory.

“It is a serious miscalculation of the situation, the public opinion and the comparison of strength,” said Wu. “Overreaching itself in such a way is extremely dangerous. We warn the DPP [Democratic Progressive party] authorities that holding back the tide with a broom will only end up in self-destruction. We will come and get you, sooner or later.” » | Helen Davidson in Taipei | Friday, February 28, 2025

Trump’s ‘Strategic Stupidity’ towards Putin Has China Making Dangerous Plans

Feb 25, 2025 | Foreign policy and security analyst Jimmy Rushton tells Times Radio’s Maddie Hale that Donald Trump has operated with “strategic stupidity” towards Vladimir Putin, raising questions over whether China is watching the United States’ “weakness” and making “dangerous” plans

‘We’re Your True Friends,’ Xi Tells Putin, as Trump Courts Russia

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Chinese and Russian leaders reaffirmed their relationship in a video call on Monday, an apparent rebuff to the idea that the Trump administration could drive a wedge between them.

China’s leader said his country and Russia were “true friends who have been through thick and thin together” after a video call with President Vladimir V. Putin on Monday, part of a pointed mutual affirmation of allegiance between Beijing and Moscow as President Trump has turned toward the Kremlin.

The warm words attributed to Xi Jinping in Chinese state media were clearly intended to dampen speculation that the Trump administration, which has pursued a rapid rapprochement with Russia, might succeed in driving a wedge between Beijing and Moscow.

The call came on the anniversary of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, after three years in which China extended a lifeline to Russia by helping Mr. Putin weather economic isolation from the West and struggles on the battlefield.

Shortly before the invasion of Ukraine, Mr. Xi and Mr. Putin heralded a “no limits” partnership. Since then, China has sustained Russia’s war machine with oil purchases and exports of dual-use technologies. » | David Pierson and Paul Sonne | David Pierson reported from Hong Kong and Paul Sonne from Berlin. | Monday, February 24, 2025

BBC: The World This Weekend: Sir John Major: "We Are Moving into a More Dangerous World"

The former prime minister tells this programme that 'democracy is threatened' by international events, and that the world is 're-shaping in a way that's congenial to the West'.
Listen here.

The Impact of Cutting USAID on America's Soft Power: How China Looks to React | DW News

Feb 8, 2025 | US President Kennedy created the US Agency for International Development, USAID, in 1961 to be an umbrella organization for all US nonmilitary foreign aid. At the time, aid to contain communism was the Cold War guiding principle, but not the only one.

Kennedy also invoked a moral responsibilty, pointing to America's economic obligations as the wealthiest people in a world of largely poor people. Six decades later USAID provides tens of billions of dollars of humanitarian aid to countries around the world.

But that is about to change. In a move to slash wasteful spending, spearheaded by Elon Musk in the Department of Government Efficiency, the Trump White House this week began slashing most of USAID's workforce. It's feared that the decision to defund USAID by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, two of the world's richest people could hurt millions of the world's poorest people.

Is President Donald Trump Using Tariffs as a Negotiating Tactic? | Inside Story

Feb 4, 2025 | US President Donald Trump's tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico are on hold for a month. But US levies on Chinese products have gone into effect - and Beijing has hit back with duties of its own. It accuses Washington of unilateralism and has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization. President Trump says America has been ripped off by 'every country in the world'. So, are tariffs the answer? And at what cost?

Presenter: James Bays

Guests:
Dmitry Grozoubinski -- Director of ExplainTrade - a trade policy and negotiations consultancy
Greg Swenson -- Founding Partner of the investment banking firm, Brigg Macadam
Gavin Fridell -- Professor of Political Science and Global Development Studies at Saint Mary's University in Canada

China Swiftly Counters Trump’s Tariffs With a Flurry of Trade Curbs

THE NEW YORK TIMES: After a 10 percent tariff on Chinese products took effect on Tuesday, China announced retaliatory measures, including tariffs and an investigation of Google.

Beijing responded swiftly on Tuesday to the tariffs President Trump had promised, announcing a fusillade of countermeasures targeting American companies and imports of critical products.

Mr. Trump’s 10 percent tariff on all Chinese products went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the result of an executive order issued over the weekend aimed at pressuring Beijing to crack down on fentanyl shipments into the United States.

The Chinese government came back with a series of retaliatory steps, including additional tariffs on liquefied natural gas, coal, farm machinery and other products from the United States. It also said it had implemented restrictions on the export of certain critical minerals, many of which are used in the production of high-tech products.

In addition, Chinese market regulators said they had launched an antimonopoly investigation into Google. Google is blocked from China’s internet, but the move may disrupt the company’s dealings with Chinese companies. » | Ana Swanson and Chris Buckley | Ana Swanson reported from Washington and Chris Buckley from Bangkok. | Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Why do I get the feeling that China has decided to teach Trump an important lesson? A lesson he’ll never forget. – © Mark Alexander

Trump Gets Rude Awakening as Tariffs Backfire

Feb 2, 2025 | MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Donald Trump getting hit with a massive retaliation by Mexico and Canada for the tariffs Trump had the USA impose on them.

Tit-for-tat Tariffs: Did Trump Just Start a Trade War? | DW News

Feb 2, 2025 | US President Donald Trump has followed through on his tariff threats. He has signed an order to levy 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. He also set tariffs of 10 percent on Chinese goods. The measures are due to come into force on Tuesday. The announcement has provoked immediate reactions from the countries concerned.

Trump Signs Order Authorizing Tariffs on Goods from Canada, Mexico and China

THE GUARDIAN: Decision could set the stage for a damaging trade war between the US and three of its top trade partners

Donald Trump has signed an order authorizing tariffs after vowing to impose dramatic taxes on goods from Canada, Mexico and China starting this weekend.

The decision could set the stage for a damaging trade war between the US and three of its top trade partners. Trump has also threatened to impose tariffs against European Union nations.

Trump signed three executive orders on Saturday imposing tariffs of 25% on all goods from Mexico and Canada, the New York Times reported. Trump imposed a 10% tariff on Canadian oil exports, as well as a 10% tariff on items from China.

Trump is imposing the tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Authorities have nodded to worries about fentanyl coming in to the US through this county’s borders with Canada and Mexico, produced from Chinese ingredients, according to the Times.

Trump’s decision to levy a 10% tariff rate on Canadian energy products seems to be some sort of recognition that tariffs can spur higher prices. The White House has contended that tariffs will not fan the flames of inflation. » | Victoria Beklempis | Saturday, February 1, 2025

THE NEW YORK TIMES:

Trump Signs Orders Imposing Steep Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China »

Trump to Impose Tariffs on Imports from Canada, Mexico and China

THE GUARDIAN: US neighbors hit with 25% tariff and China with 10% as Trudeau pledges ‘forceful but reasonable’ response

Donald Trump has vowed to impose sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China starting this weekend, potentially setting the stage for a damaging trade war between the US and three of its biggest trading partners. Trump also threatened to follow up with a further wave of tariffs against the European Union.

Goods exported from Canada and Mexico to the US will be hit with a 25% tariff, while products from China face a 10% levy, the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told reporters on Friday. (+ video) » | Callum Jones in New York, Leyland Cecco in Toronto, Thomas Graham in Mexico City and George Chidi | Friday, January 31, 2025

Chinese AI Chatbot DeepSeek Sparks Turmoil in US Tech Markets | BBC News

Jan 27, 2025 | Shares in major US technology firms have fallen steeply in value after the sudden emergence of a low-cost chatbot built by a Chinese artificial intelligence firm.

The DeepSeek app, which was launched last week and reportedly developed for a fraction of the cost of its rivals, has overtaken rivals including ChatGPT to become the most downloaded free app in the US.

Shortly after US markets opened, DeepSeek says it was hit with a "large-scale malicious attack".

Trump's Panama Canal Myths Exposed

Jan 23, 2025 | Donald Trump suggested he would consider using military force to gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, and "economic force" to acquire Canada. Anthony Davis reports on Trump's myths about the Panama Canal.

Five Minute News can be supported on Patreon < a href=https://www.patreon.com/fiveminutenews target=_blank>here.

"China Will Destroy the USA" – Yanis Varoufakis

Jan 14, 2025 | Yanis Varoufakis examines the escalating rivalry between China and the United States, predicting how China’s rapid economic and technological advancements could challenge, and potentially surpass, American global dominance. In this gripping analysis, Varoufakis explores China's strategic investments, its role as a manufacturing powerhouse, and its growing influence in international markets. He contrasts this with the U.S.’s struggles with economic inequality, political polarization, and reliance on outdated systems. Is America prepared for the rise of China, or is a seismic power shift inevitable? Discover what Varoufakis sees as the future of this high-stakes competition.