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

Trump pushed back against The Wall Street Journal's reporting that in the past few days Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent privately laid out his case to Trump on why he shouldn't try to push out Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

According to the report, Bessent's explanations included the potential economic and market effects, the prospect that the Fed is already moving toward cutting interest rates later this year, and the likely political and legal obstacles that such an action would face.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump fired off against the outlet, saying he knows what is best for the country.

"The Wall Street Journal ran a typically untruthful story today by saying that Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, explained to me that firing Jerome "Too Late" Powell, the Worst Federal Reserve Chairman in History, would be bad for the Market. Nobody had to explain that to me. I know better than anybody what's good for the Market, and what's good for the U.S.A.," Trump wrote.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday he’s confident the U.S. can get a trade deal done with the European Union, but the administration will stick to its August 1 deadline before tariffs are levied against goods from those countries.

"Nothing stops countries from talking to us after August 1, but they're going to start paying the tariffs on August 1," he told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

Lutnick told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he had just gotten off the phone with EU negotiators and that there was “plenty of room” for a deal.

"These are the two biggest trading partners in the world, talking to each other. We'll get a deal done. I am confident we'll get a deal done," Lutnick said.

As to tariffs on Canadian goods, Lutnick called Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s assertion that there's not a lot of evidence to suggest it can secure a trade deal with the U.S. that avoids tariffs “silly.”

"We have a plan called USMCA – U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement. Virtually 75% of all goods coming from Mexico and Canada already come in tariff-free. The President said, look, unless you stop this fentanyl and close the border, we're just going to keep tariffs on the other 25% and that's what he has on so don't be confused about it. The President understands that we need to open the markets. Canada is not open to us. They need to open their market. Unless they are willing to open their market, they're going to pay a tariff," Lutnick said.

Asked if the Trump administration plans to renegotiate USMCA, Lutnick said, “I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA. But that's a year from today.”

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie

Trump urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune to cancel the August congressional recess to allow for the confirmation of his nominees, stating in a social media post Saturday, "We need them badly!"

“Hopefully the very talented John Thune, fresh off our many victories over the past two weeks and, indeed, 6 months, will cancel August recess (and long weekends!), in order to get my incredible nominees confirmed,” Trump wrote.

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh

Although President Donald Trump ordered the Justice Department to request the release of more details in the probe of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, he claimed Saturday that the move may do little to quell the outspoken criticism of his administration's handling of the case.

The president reiterated on social media that he asked the DOJ "to release all Grand Jury testimony with respect to Jeffrey Epstein, subject only to Court Approval." Trump, however, lashed out against the loud voices who have called for transparency.

"Even if the Court gave its full and unwavering approval, nothing will be good enough for the troublemakers and radical left lunatics making the request. It will always be more, more, more," Trump said in his post.