Trump admin updates: Trump wants Senate to cancel August recess to work on nominees

Trump also suggested the Senate cancel long weekends.

ByKevin Shalvey, Alexandra Hutzler, and Ivan Pereira
Last Updated: July 20, 2025, 5:25 PM EDT

President Donald Trump continues to face backlash from his MAGA supporters over his administration's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi "to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval" related to the case.

On Friday, Trump signed the GENIUS Act -- the first major federal cryptocurrency bill -- into law.

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Jul 14, 2025, 11:21 AM EDT

Trump threatens 'severe tariffs' on Russia if no deal to end war within 50 days

President Donald Trump opened his remarks alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office on Monday by threatening "severe tariffs" against Russia.

"We're very, very unhappy with them," Trump said of Russia. "And we're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days."

"Tariffs at about 100%, you know what that means. But today we're going to talk about something else," Trump continued, going on to talk about weapons to Ukraine.

Donald Trump greets NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (L) in the Oval Office at the White House on July 14, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Jul 14, 2025, 10:18 AM EDT

Trump expected to make 'major statement' regarding Russia-Ukraine policy

President Donald Trump told NBC News last week that he'll have a "major statement" to make regarding Russia on Monday, as he expresses increasing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump declined to elaborate what the announcement would be, but he said during the same interview that he expected the Senate to pass a measure to place more sanctions on Russia.

President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up to reporters as he walks on the South Lawn upon arriving at the White House, July 13, 2025, in Washington.
Jose Luis Magana/AP

Trump also shared with NBC what he said was a new agreement between the U.S., NATO and Ukraine over the shipment of weapons. The president said Sunday that his administration would provide more "sophisticated" equipment to aid Kyiv in its defense against Russian attacks.

Jul 14, 2025, 6:10 AM EDT

NATO secretary-general to meet with Trump at White House

President Donald Trump on Monday morning will welcome NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to the White House.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is seen through a trombone player during a ceremony to mark Germany's 70 years in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at the Defence Ministry in Berlin, on July 9, 2025.
John Macdougall/AFP via Getty Images

The pair are scheduled to hold a closed-door meeting at 10 a.m., according to the White House.

Their discussion comes a day after Trump said the U.S. would provide more "sophisticated" equipment to aid Ukraine in its defense against Russian attacks.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

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