The White House

Hope for peace

TODAY marks the dawn of a new era of hope for the Middle East.

As US Vice-President JD Vance said yesterday, a truce brokered by Donald Trump has brought the region to “the cusp of true peace”.

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While other world leaders postured and bewailed, the US President used his extraordinary power of persuasion to force Hamas and Israel to strike a deal to end two years of bloodshed.

It means thousands of Palestinians will return to what is left of their homes and get the food and medical aid they need, and Israelis can welcome back loved ones taken hostage during the terrorist massacre which started the conflict.

The 19th Century German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck once said that politics is “the art of the possible”.

But hard-nosed businessman President Trump has proved it can also be “the art of the deal”.

The path to lasting peace is still littered with pitfalls.

Hamas must be made to disarm and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu will have to be persuaded to drop his opposition to a future, self-ruling Palestinian state.

More tears will be shed in the days to come.

Much trauma awaits Israeli families whose loved ones return alive but emaciated or, tragically, in body bags.

There will also be anger if terrorist killers are freed as part of the deal.

Yet despite these hurdles, this is the brightest glimmer of hope the region has seen in a generation.

And if, one day, it leads to a lasting peace, the whole world will rejoice.

Win for justice

THE phrase “justice must be seen to be done” is as relevant today as when it was first uttered in court a century ago.

That is why The Sun challenged an order banning a child rapist from being identified as an asylum seeker.

In a shocking example of two-tier justice, both the prosecution and the offender’s lawyer had opposed our attempt to report his status.

But this newspaper chalked up a landmark victory for open justice and Press freedom by fighting to have the order overturned.

Judge Maria Lamb gave an instant ruling that we were right.

The jury took just two-and-a-half hours to convict the serial offender.

A double triumph for common sense.

Silly Mili

ED Miliband’s fixation with Net Zero gets more desperate and costly by the day.

The Energy Secretary is targeting well-off families with £7,500 “bribes” to fit green heat pump systems most of us can’t afford.

His barmy campaign confirms what we already knew about Mr Miliband’s obsession with meeting unrealistic carbon emission targets.

It’s a waste of money — and he is a waste of space.

DONALD Trump has declared the Gaza ceasefire “the most important deal ever made” — even as he was snubbed for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

The US President, who brokered the landmark truce to end two years of bloodshed between Israel and Hamas, spoke just hours after the award went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

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He insisted the breakthrough was “signed, sealed and already started” — and hailed it as the crowning achievement of a presidency he says has stopped eight wars.

“It’s certainly, I think, to the mind of most, the most important deal ever made in terms of peace,” Trump said on Friday.

The president said the ceasefire marked “a great deal for Israel, but it’s a great deal for everybody — for Arabs, for Muslims, for the world,” and confirmed that the release of hostages would begin on Monday.

“We’re getting them now. They’re gathering them from some pretty rough places on earth,” he said.

The decision to snub Trump came the day after Israel and Hamas signed a peace deal that he engineered to end the war and return the hostages.

This year’s Nobel Peace Prize was instead awarded to María Corina Machado – a Venezuelan politician and activist – for her “tireless work” organising the democratic opposition to dictatorship in Venezuela.

Trump has also announced 100 per cent tariffs on China in response to Beijing’s sweeping rare earth export controls – a major escalation in the fierce trade war between Washington and Beijing.

The US President accused China of taking an “extraordinarily aggressive position” on trade, slamming what he called an “extremely hostile letter to the world” that outlined measures to control “virtually every product they make”.

Posting on Truth Social, Trump vowed to hit back hard, saying he would also impose US export controls on any critical software heading to China.

Meanwhile, Venezuelan politician Machado dedicated the Nobel Prize to the US President.

She wrote on X: “This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom.

“We are on the threshold of victory and today, more than ever, we count on President Trump, the people of the United States, the peoples of Latin America, and the democratic nations of the world as our principal allies to achieve Freedom and democracy.

“I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!”

Her post comes amidst heightened tensions between the two countries after Trump cut all diplomatic contacts with Venezuela during the US’s crackdown on drug cartels.

The Nobel Committee paid tribute to Machado’s “struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy”.

It said the award was in recognition of her “tireless work” to protect rights and fight for a transition to democracy in Venezuela.

Announcing the winner, Jørgen Watne Frydnes lauded her as “a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amidst a growing darkness”.

He said: “When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist.”

He later explained why the US president was not given the award.

He said: “I think this committee has seen [every] type of campaign [and] media attention. We receive thousands and thousands of letters every year of people saying what, for them, leads to peace.”

“But this committee sits in a room with the portraits of all laureates and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So, we base only our decision on the work and will of Alfred Nobel.”

Machado has been living in hiding for the past year, after her fearless work incited “serious threats against her life”.

Troubled Venezuela is currently ruled by Nicolás Maduro, who is widely recognised as a dictator.

His government has routinely targeted its real or perceived opponents.

Machado, who turned 58 this week, was set to run against Maduro in last year’s presidential election, but the government disqualified her.

The election results announced by the Electoral Council sparked protests across the country to which the government responded with force that ended with more than 20 people dead.

Machado went into hiding and has not been seen in public since January.

Trump, who is in his second term as America’s president, has long wished for a Nobel Peace Prize.

He claims to have stopped seven conflicts in the world since his time in the office – and has made no secret of the fact that he believes he is worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Last week, he teased the possibility of ending an eighth war if Israel and Hamas agree to his peace plan aimed at concluding the nearly two-year war in Gaza.

And just hours before the Nobel Peace Prize results were set to be announced, Don revealed to the world that the two warring factions had signed a peace deal – one that he engineered.

It is indeed a massive breakthrough that is set to reshape the face of the Middle East – and the world is praising the US leaders’ effort to broker the deal.

However, the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which awards the prestigious peace prize, held its final meeting on Monday, the Nobel Institute said.

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This means that the decision to give the award to Machado was made before the conclusion of an agreement between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday night.

Historian Asle Sveen, a specialist in the Nobel Prize, said he was “one hundred per cent certain” that Trump will not win this year’s Nobel Prize.

He emphasised that the US president had long “given free rein” to Netanyahu to bomb Gaza and had provided significant military aid to Israel – something that the prize committee must have taken into account.

A global ‘peacemaker’

All eyes were on his nomination this year after the self-proclaimed peacemaker launched a campaign in a bid to win the award.

He has repeatedly asserted since his return to the White House in January that he deserves the nod, adding it would be “a big insult” to the United States if he were not given the prize.

In February this year, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, he said: “They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.”

Even during his speech at the 80th UN General Assembly in New York, Trump said that “everyone” says he should get it.

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He said: “Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for each one of these achievements, but for me, the real prize will be the sons and daughters who live to grow up with their mothers and fathers, because millions of people are no longer being killed in endless and unglorious wars. 

“What I care about is not winning prizes as much as saving lives.”

Numerous world leaders endorsed him for the honour, including Netanyahu, who posted an AI-generated image of him awarding Trump the Nobel Prize.

Hun Manet, the prime minister of Cambodia, nominated Trump after a deal was struck for a ceasefire following the clashes at the Cambodia-Thailand border.

Olivier Nduhungirehe, the Rwandan foreign minister, credited Trump for how he helped end the 30-year conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Pakistan also endorsed Trump for the prize this year. Though the Islamic Republic slammed him for bombing Iran in less than 24 hours.

Even Vladimir Putin backed Trump to win.

Putin said Russia supported Trump’s nomination as long as Washington did not supply long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine.

Experts say the Nobel Prize committee may take Trump’s efforts to bring peace in Gaza – if it lasts – into consideration for next year’s award.

THE self-proclaimed President of Peace is at it again, unveiling his 20-point peace plan for the Gaza war.

In typically understated fashion, Donald Trump declared his meeting with Israel’s Netanyahu a “historic day for humanity”.

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And to be fair, convincing the hardman to sign up to a deal that could allow Hamas terrorists to walk free from their crimes was a big ask and an important moment.

Netanyahu is on board, with an oversight committee for Gaza lead by Mr Trump and an astonishing late career comeback from Tony Blair.

No Gazan will be forced out of their home, which was a major ask from European nations, while the cost of rebuilding the pummelled strip will be shared around the region.

On paper this looks like decent terms to end horrors.

But as we saw with Ukraine and Putin, these deals can come to nothing if one side doesn’t agree.

So now the world waits on Hamas to accept the terms.

They’ve said no before and collapsed talks and continued their butchery countless times.

But the given the Hamas leadership has been taken out three times now, and up to 20,000 dead fighters have been killed – the organisation is on its knees.

How long can they realistically keep fighting?

DONALD Trump has signed an executive order laying the groundwork for China to hand over TikTok to US owners following “very good talks” with Xi Jinping.

Dealmaster Don said he had come to an agreement with the Chinese leader following years of speculation surrounding the fate of the beloved $14billion social media giant.

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In a major U-turn by Beijing – who once slammed the idea of giving TikTok to Washington as “robbery” – Chinese officials have now agreed to hand over the prized platform.

The landmark deal will separate the popular video-sharing hub from its Chinese parent company ByteDance – in a key step allowing TikTok to keep operating in America.

Trump said the agreement would comply with a bipartisan law that would have forced the app’s shutdown if it was not divested and sold to a US owner.

The US President said: “I spoke with President Xi and he said: ‘Go ahead with it.’

“This is going to be American-operated all the way.”

The groundbreaking plan will see US investors oversee the vast majority of TikTok‘s operations.

A coalition of American owners are expected to take charge of 80 per cent of the app – while Chinese investors will have a 20 per cent stake.

They will also gain a licensed copy of the cutting-edge recommendation algorithm retrained solely with US data.

The controversial digital recipe which shows users content based on their preferences previously stirred alarming concern among US officials.

China hawks warned the ByteDance-crafted algorithm could be weaponised by the CCP to influence content seen by hundreds of millions of Americans every day.

But US officials have failed to present any evidence proving China has ever attempted to do so.

The new US version of the spun off firm will be valued at $14billion, US Vice President JD Vance said.

But the new figure doesn’t compare to ByteDance’s overall valuation, which is estimated to stand at a staggering $330billion.

TikTok’s social media arch nemesis Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, is valued at $1.8trillion.

The new investing team will be spearheaded by US software giant Oracle.

The firm will oversee US operations for TikTok, provide cloud service for user data storage and obtain the elusive algorithm license.

The alliance of investors is set to include Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, News Corp owner Rupert Murdoch and Dell CEO Michael Dell.

Trump said of the potential new owners: “Great investors. The biggest. They don’t get bigger.”

Vance said more details about who is involved in the huge deal will be announced over the coming days.

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The deal seemingly puts to bed months of legal limbo for the massively popular app, which is said to host some 180 million US users.

Trump has even credited TikTok with helping him win the 2024 presidential election – as part of his gamechanging social media campaign.

ByteDance and TikTok once faced widespread concerns from US lawmakers over national security and data privacy.

US officials alleged China could use the app to shape messaging and ultimately spread propaganda in an effort to undermine US democracy.

TikTok denied the claims, but Congress collectively agreed to force ByteDance to find a US buyer after a historic vote last year.

The supreme court unanimously upheld the ban in January – before Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office to postpone its removal from the US.

The US President also hinted at TikTok’s secure future last week, writing on Truth Social: “A deal was also reached on a ‘certain’ company that young people in our Country very much want to save.

“They will be very happy!”

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THIS is the moment US military forces bombed a drug running boat from the Tren de Aragua gang.

Dramatic footage shows a kinetic strike target and destroy a smuggling vessel in the Southern Caribbean.

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Washington designates Venezuela’s Tren de Agarua gang as a Maduro-backed terror group.

President Donald Trump, 79, confirmed US forces attacked the boat, killing 11.

Speaking from the Oval Office today, Trump said: “Over the last few minutes we just shot out a drug carrying boat, a lot of drugs on that boat.

“You’ll be seeing that, it just happened moments ago, our Great General and head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who has been so incredible, including what took place in Iran knocking out potential nuclear power, I think within a month they would have had it if we didn’t do what we did.

“And there’s more where that came from. There’s a lot of drugs pouring into our country. These came out of Venezuela, a lot of things are coming out of Venezuela. We took it out.”

Meanwhile Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on X: ” The US military conducted a lethal strike… against a drug vessel which had departed from Venezuela and was being operated by a designated narco-terrorist organization.”

A senior defense official confirmed further information on the “precision strike” would “be made available at a later time.”

This comes amid rising tension between Caracas and Washington.

Last week the US leader sent warships to Venezuela as the country’s dictator moved 15,000 troops to the border with Colombia.

Three US destroyers and 4,000 marines are sailing towards the South American coastline as tensions skyrocket.

It comes after after Trump’s administration announced a $50million bounty on the ruthless tyrant’s head.

Trump has accused President Nicolas Maduro of “mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere”.

The White House previously accused the Tren de Aragua of having “unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States.”

Trump also invoked the Alien Enemies Act against the Tren de Aragua gang as he continues efforts to speed up deportations.

The 1798 Act was last used to justify the internment of Japanese-American civilians during World War 2.

The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 gives gargantuan levels of authority to the Republican to target and remove undocumented immigrants.

It is designed as a law to be invoked if the US is at war with another country or a nation has invaded the US or threatened to do so.

The proclamation called for all of those subject to the measure to be arrested, detained and removed immediately.

Trump said in a proclamation: “All Venezuelan citizens 14 years of age or older who are members of TdA, are within the United States, and are not actually naturalized or lawful permanent residents of the United States are liable to be apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed as Alien Enemies.”

But, a judge quickly blocked Trump from invoking the act and ordered any flights carrying the gang members to turn around with the order now set for a battle through the courts.

Tren de Aragua is a transnational criminal organisation and U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization from Venezuela.

Believed to have over 5,000 members, Homeland Security officials labeled the group “high-threat,” according to US media reports.

In comments after the strike today, the US president wrote on X: “Earlier this morning, on my Orders, Military Forces conduced a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility.

“TDA is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro, responsible for mass murder, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, and acts of violence and terror across the United States and Western Hemisphere.

“The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States.

“The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action. No US Forces were harmed in this strike.

“Please let this serve as a notice to anybody even thinking about bringing drugs into the United States of America. BEWARE! Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

It comes as Trump has laughed off wild online rumours about his death, dismissing them as “fake news” during a primetime address after days of frenzied speculation over his health.

The president appeared on Tuesday to announce that U.S. Space Command headquarters will move from Colorado to Alabama.

He was then asked if he had seen the viral claims that he was no longer living.

“Really? I didn’t see that. That’s pretty serious!” Trump said, before insisting he had been busy behind the scenes.

“I did numerous interviews and had some pretty poignant posts on my social media site. I was very active over the weekend,” he added, noting that he also visited “some people” at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia.

The press conference had been called to announce that U.S. Space Command headquarters will move from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Huntsville, Alabama — a reversal of Joe Biden’s 2023 decision to keep the base in Colorado.

Trump originally reestablished Space Command in 2018, saying its mission was to defend U.S. interests in space.

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DONALD Trump sent warships to Venezuela as the country’s dictator Nicolas Maduro moved 15,000 troops to the border with Colombia.

Three US destroyers and 4,000 marines sailed to the coastline just weeks after the Washington administration announced a $50million bounty on the South American tyrant’s head.

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A guided missile cruiser, the USS Erie, and a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine are also expected to reach the Caribbean coastline next week, a source confirmed.

The move comes as the US tries to officially crackdown on threats from Venezuela’s drug cartels, one of which officials accuse Maduro of spearheading.

In a bid to push US vessels out, the tyrant announced on Monday the deployment of 15,000 troops to Colombia, just a day before declaring the launch of his own fleet of vessels along the Caribbean coast.

In a video shared online, Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said this would include a “significant” number of drones, as well as naval patrols “further north in our territorial waters”.

The US deployment of vessels comes as the US President tries to squash  “narco-terrorist organizations” in the region.

During Trump’s first term in the office, Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials were indicted in federal court in New York on several charges including participating in a “narco-terrorism” conspiracy.

Investigators say Maduro’s cartel worked hand-in-hand with the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), which the US has labeled a terrorist organization.

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) “has seized 30 tons of cocaine linked to Maduro and his associates, with nearly seven tons linked to Maduro himself,” Bondi said.

The US government has also seized more than $700 million in Maduro-linked assets, including two Venezuelan government aircraft, since September last year, according to Bondi.

GREEDY RULER

Elected by a narrow margin in March, 2013, Maduro has presided over the country for year as its problems skyrocket.

As his country suffered and starved, Maduro lived a life of luxury and reportedly racked up a fortune of £220million.

In 2018, he sparked outrage after being pictured enjoying a lavish meat banquet hosted by celebrity chef Salt Bae in Istanbul.

While Venezuelans can barely afford fresh meat, the president tucked into the infamous gold-crusted steaks.

“This is a once in a lifetime moment,” the president said as puffed on a cigar and ignored the widespread food shortage raging in his country.

Opposition leader Julio Borges, who fled Venezuela for fear of arrest, tweeted: “While Venezuelans suffer and die of hunger, Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores have a good time in one of the most expensive restaurants in the world, all with money stolen from the Venezuelan people.”

Only a few months earlier, his two stepsons Yoswal Gavidia Flores and Walter Gavidia Flores managed to blow £36,000 on an extravagant 18-night stay at the Ritz hotel in Paris.

The bill was equivalent to the monthly wages of 2,000 Venezuelans – a casual two weeks for the pair who frequently parade themselves around Europe’s most expensive restaurants and hotels.

And back at home, the president and his family can escape the chaos of their own making by hiding out in his luxury enclave in the capital, complete with its own bowling alley, swimming pools, lakes and restaurants.

Maduro and his so-called “dirty dozen” of top lieutenants live in fabulous estates which would not look out of place in the hills of Hollywood.

The five star bolthole is guarded by seven successive checkpoints and hundreds of heavily armed troops.

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DANA WHITE has all but ruled out the prospect of Jon Jones headlining the UFC’s White House card next year.

The former light-heavy and heavyweight champion ended his retirement after just TWO WEEKS in July after learning of the promotion’s plans to stage a fight card at Donald Trump‘s residence.

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White was initially open to having ‘Bones’ top the bill, but has since performed a public U-turn.

The veteran promoter claimed he couldn’t “trust” Jones enough to give him the honour of headlining the historic card after he pulled the plug on fighting Brit Tom Aspinall.

And he brutally doubled down on his claim during the UFC 319 post-fight press conference on Sunday morning.

He asked a reporter: “What do you think Jon would do in the next couple of months that would make me trust putting him on the White House card?”

“I already said I don’t trust him, and you’re asking me, ‘What could he do for me to trust him in the next three months?’

“You don’t trust him!

“I haven’t talked to him at all. I would not bet on it.

“If I have to make odds, it’s a BILLION TO ONE [that] I put Jon Jones on the White House card.”

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

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Jones, 38, was set to unify the heavyweight belts against interim titleholder Aspinall in a historic showdown at Madison Square Garden in November.

But despite the UFC brass meeting his demands to be paid “f**k you money“, he opted NOT to go through with the fight.

The former pound-for-pound king insisted a bout with Wigan warrior Aspinall did nothing for his legacy.

But he believes a fight at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will add to it.

He said: “In a recent interview, I shared that the opportunity to fight at the White House gave me something deeper to fight for, a ‘why’ that goes beyond paychecks or belts.

If I have to make odds, it’s a billion to one I put Jon Jones on the White House card.”

Dana White on Jon Jones fighting at the White House

“Fighting for my country gives me a greater purpose!

“The silver lining in all this is knowing the fans see my heart.

“They see, I am ready and willing to take on anyone, to represent my country on a historic stage.

“For me, it’s never been just about the opponent. I’m chasing legacy, something timeless, something bigger than the moment.

“So for now, I’ll keep grinding, stay patient, and stay faithful. I’m ready to fight on July 4th.”

STRICKEN Ukraine will be forced to surrender large swathes of its eastern territory and forget about ever joining Nato under peace terms haggled by Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

The war-torn country’s desire to join the European Union is also in doubt after the two superpower presidents held controversial talks in Alaska on Friday.

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Ukraine would be outlawed from joining the Western defence alliance, but have its redrawn borders underwritten by its US and European allies in the terms suggested by the White House.

Allies have offered “ironclad” security assurances to protect Ukraine from future Russian aggression if a peace deal can be forged.

But it would stop short of Nato Article 5 status, which sees members of the alliance leap to the aid of any member that is attacked.

Ukraine’s desire to join Nato has been blamed as a root cause of President Putin’s invasion.

He has insisted “Nyet” — Russian for “No” — over the proposal.

But the future security of Ukraine is the number one condition of its president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

British and other European troops could be committed to police the peace, with President Trump finally conceding the Americans would play a vital role in the future defence of Ukraine.

Last night, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly stated: “The good news is that America is ready to participate in such security guarantees and is not leaving it to the Europeans alone.”

And PM Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Trump’s “leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing” should be commended.

Calls for an immediate ceasefire were dropped by world leaders yesterday, after Mr Trump announced he was instead pursuing a more stable and lasting “peace deal”.

Plans haggled at Friday’s face-to-face summit are being circulated by the Americans after the US President and the Kremlin tyrant met each other in Anchorage, Alaska, for more than three hours.

The Sun has been told a surrender deal would see Ukraine forced to reject Nato membership and other “multinational deals”.

Negotiations would also begin about ceding control of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Eastern Ukraine which are, in part, heavily occupied by Russian troops.

There was confusion last night over whether the talks would focus on territory currently held by the Kremlin invaders, or whether the wider regions were on the table.

Yesterday, EU leaders insisted: “Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine’s pathway to EU and Nato.”

However, that does not rule out Mr Zelensky deciding to withdraw Ukraine’s stated aim to join both alliances as part of the wider deal.

He will fly to Washington DC on Monday to meet with President Trump at the White House — six months after their disastrous Oval Office bust up, which saw the leader of the free world savage Mr Zelensky live on TV.

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Russia has long claimed Donetsk and Luhansk are more loyal to Moscow than Kyiv, while Mr Zelensky has publicly ruled out giving up the land.

However, he is under massive pressure to concede and end the bloody three-and-a-half year conflict, which has seen more than a million deaths.

European leaders were locked in talks with the White House this weekend, as the world scrambled to catch up with what Mr Trump had offered Mr Putin to end the war.

Last night, UK government sources said the PM was playing a key role in selling the terms of the deal to wider Western allies in a series of calls following the talks between the Americans and Russians.

I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal. This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more

Sir Keir Starmer’s statement

President Trump yesterday insisted it is time for Mr Zelensky to choose whether to agree with the terms of the deal — as the pair prepared to meet tomorrow.

The White House has also offered to play host to a trilateral summit between the Russians and Ukrainians if the deal is within reach.

Speaking following Friday’s talks, where he met with his Russian counterpart for the first time in six years, President Trump insisted it was “a great and very successful day in Alaska!”

He wrote on his Truth Social website: “The meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia went very well, as did a late night phone call with President Zelensky of Ukraine, and various European Leaders, including the highly respected Secretary General of Nato.

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“It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up. President Zelensky will be coming to D.C., the Oval Office, on Monday afternoon. If all works out, we will then schedule a meeting with President Putin.

“Potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Last night, President Putin also welcomed progress made at the talks, after leaving the summit without taking questions from hundreds of assembled journalists.

In a televised address released by the Kremlin, he said: “The conversation was very frank, substantive, and, in my opinion, brings us closer to the necessary decisions.”

He added: “We have not had direct negotiations of this kind at this level for a long time. We had the opportunity to calmly and in detail reiterate our position.”

We are clear that Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO

European statement

In a long statement, President Zelensky welcomed the offer of security guarantees outlined by Mr Trump, in a tentative sign he may be willing to sign up to the terms.

He wrote: “A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions. Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure.

“All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned.

“Thousands of our people remain in captivity — they all must be brought home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained while the aggression and occupation continue.”

He went on: “In my conversation with President Trump, I said that sanctions should be strengthened if there is no trilateral meeting or if Russia tries to evade an honest end to the war. Sanctions are an effective tool.

“Security must be guaranteed reliably and in the long term, with involvement of Europe and the US.

“All issues important to Ukraine must be discussed with Ukraine’s participation, and no issue, particularly territorial ones, can be decided without Ukraine. I thank our partners who are helping.”

Yesterday the PM was taking part in a round of behind the scenes diplomacy, speaking to the White House and European capitals.

He heaped praise on Mr Trump, saying his “efforts have brought us closer than ever before to ending Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine”.

He went on: “His leadership in pursuit of an end to the killing should be commended.”

But the PM warned: “While progress has been made, the next step must be further talks involving President Zelensky.

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The path to peace in Ukraine cannot be decided without him. I spoke to President Zelensky, President Trump and other European partners, and we all stand ready to support this next phase.

“I welcome the openness of the United States, alongside Europe, to provide robust security guarantees to Ukraine as part of any deal.

“This is important progress and will be crucial in deterring Putin from coming back for more.

“In the meantime, until he stops his barbaric assault, we will keep tightening the screws on his war machine with even more sanctions, which have already had a punishing impact on the Russian economy and its people. Our unwavering support for Ukraine will continue as long as it takes.”

In a joint statement, Sir Keir and European leaders including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, said: “We are clear Ukraine must have ironclad security guarantees to effectively defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries.

Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and Nato.

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Priti: Trump was right to set up meeting

By Sophia Sleigh

DONALD Trump was right to bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table on Friday, says Dame Priti Patel.

The Shadow Foreign Secretary gave her support to the US President’s efforts — while adding that Britain must keep up “tightening the screws” on the Russian tyrant’s regime.

The Tory grandee told The Sun on Sunday: “It is right President Trump has brought Putin to the negotiating table.

“And we support his efforts in ending Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

“Now is the time for the Euro-Atlantic partnership to be stronger than ever in supporting Ukraine, and forcing Putin to end his barbaric war.

“The British government must lead the charge, as we have done, in keeping pressure on Putin through sanctions — and demonstrate we can lead efforts to support Ukraine, and tighten the screws on Russia.”

But others had concerns that no ceasefire had been reached yesterday — even with Mr Trump having warned Putin of “severe consequences” if fighting did not stop.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: “Trump has to tell him to agree to a ceasefire or he will up the ante on sanctions, secondary sanctions and weapons to Ukraine. Putin has to fear what Trump can do — more than his own generals and politicians who would come after him.”

He added that Trump “must understand who Putin is, a KGB man who has one purpose in life — to recreate the Soviet Union”.

Former PM Boris Johnson also said that Trump was right to make a move as Putin was weaker than he seemed owing to the war’s damage to Russia’s economy.

Most Labour MPs remained quiet on the talks. Crossbench peer and intelligence expert Lord Peter Ricketts said they were a “clear win” for Putin.

DONALD Trump and Vladimir Putin are just hours away from holding a historic one-on-one meeting which could shape global politics.

The world’s eyes are poised on Alaska today as leaders of both superpowers prepare to sit down in a peace summit that could decide the fate of Ukraine.

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On Thursday afternoon, Trump likened the high-stakes talks to a game of chess as he warned there is a 25 per cent chance it could end in failure.

He also vowed that Putin “is not going to mess around with me”, insisting the Russian leader “wants a deal” but would face consequences if he becomes greedy.

Trump and Putin are set to meet one-on-one at Elmendorf-Richardson base near Anchorage at 11.30am local time (8.30pm UK) — under extraordinary security.

Putin, who rarely travels abroad since launching his full-scale invasion, will arrive with his feared “Musketeers” bodyguards.

They are notorious for coming armed with everything from armour-piercing pistols to the infamous nuclear briefcase — and even a “poo suitcase” to stop any analysis of Vlad’s health.

The Cold War-era military base has been locked down by US and Russian forces since the meeting was announced last week.

Over 32,000 troops, air defences, and electronic jamming systems are all in place waiting for today’s link up.

The crunch talks will be followed by a joint press conference by both leaders.

The main topic of the meeting will be crisis in Ukraine with Trump pushing to strike a deal with the Kremlin to end the bloodshed.

Also on the agenda will be trade and economic cooperation, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov added.

Trump and Putin will also have a wider meeting with delegations from Washington and Moscow.

They will then attend a working lunch with their security entourage.

For Trump, the meeting stands as a chance to bring peace to war-torn Ukraine and end a conflict which he said would never have started if he were the president back in 2022.

And for Putin, the meeting will decide how much territory he can grab before ending his bloody assault.

The Russian leader, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said that he wants peace but that his demands for ending his invasion were “unchanged”.

One major sticking point for Moscow is the annexation of more Ukrainian territory – one of Putin’s long-term demands.

It is understood that Trump will try to convince Putin to make peace by offering him deals and concessions.

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Though Washington has said that it will not engage in any agreement on a final peace deal without Ukraine’s formal involvement in the negotiations.

Trump has insisted a deal won’t be made without Ukraine’s blessing with a second meeting set to be arranged soon.

He hinted at a more “important” second round of talks taking place “very quickly” — this time with Volodymyr Zelensky and “maybe some European leaders” in the room.

Putin has tried to sweeten the mood, praising Trump’s “sincere efforts” for peace, even as Zelensky warns he is “bluffing”.

If Putin agrees to a possible ceasefire, both leaders will reach the next stage of peace-making, where they are expected to hold a trilateral meeting with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump has vowed “very severe consequences” if this turns out to be the case.

Zelensky, fresh from meetings with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and UK PM Sir Keir Starmer, has warned that any talks without Ukraine risk disaster.

Don, who hails himself as a great dealmaker, is said to be planning to present a money-making deal to lure sanctions-hit Putin into peace-making.

The deal will include opening up Alaska’s natural resources to Moscow and lifting some of the American sanctions on Russia’s aviation industry, The Telegraph revealed.

Proposals also include giving Putin access to the rare earth minerals in the Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia.

Trump is seemingly betting on Russia‘s current economy, which has been hit hard by global sanctions since he launched his illegal invasion of Ukraine.

There is also a chance that the meeting could go south as Trump warned that the Russians risk facing “very severe consequences” if they continue to bomb Ukraine and kill innocent civilians.

More than anyone else, the meeting will be key to European leaders who have long supported Ukraine and warned against future Russian aggression.

Zelensky and European leaders are likely to reject any settlement proposals by the US that demand Ukraine give up further land.

They want to freeze the current frontline as it is – giving away the territory already being held by the Russians.

Zelensky has reiterated that Ukraine will not cede any further territory to Russia.

But it may not be up to the embattled leader if he is presented with a take it or leave it offer in the latter stages of the peace process.

Trump announced on Friday that the only way to resolve the issues is for both sides to accept losses of land.

He said: “It’s complicated, actually. Nothing is easy. It’s very complicated.

“We’re going to get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories to the betterment of both.”

The MAGA president said he would try to return territory to Ukraine.

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Don added: “Russia has occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They’ve occupied some very prime territory.

“We’re going to try and get some of that territory back for Ukraine.”

After Trump held a call with the European leaders on Thursday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that Trump reaffirmed that Trump would not negotiate territorial issues with Putin.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron will not be engaging in any “schemes for territory swaps” during the summit.

The summit is set to take place at Elmendorf-Richardson base, one of the most strategic locations in the Arctic.

Bristling with troops from the US Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as National Guardsmen and Reserves, it is a symbolic location for both the US and Russia.

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THIS is the hilarious moment Donald Trump’s golf caddy appears to drop his ball into a prime spot before he takes his shot.

A video clip has emerged which shows two golf caddies alongside the US President as he drives a golf cart around Turnberry’s Ailsa course, in Scotland.

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He donned a white USA baseball cap and was joined by his son Eric.

Trump, 79, is seen being escorted down to the course, with a convoy of 20 other carts following close behind.

The caddies go ahead of the US leaser and one appears to try and secretly place a golf ball on the ground.

The President then gets out and claims to have made the shot himself.

Trump waves for cameras on the third green at the southeast end of the course before the party moves on.

One person who watched the footage circulating on X wrote: “Caddy did that so smoothly. Can only imagine how many times he’s done it.”

“I want to know how he finds caddies to do that for him,” added another.

This comes as the US President arrived aboard Air Force One at around 8.30pm on Friday for his five-day private visit to Bonnie Scotland.

After waving to the crowds, he was welcomed by Scottish Secretary Ian Murray before being whisked to his luxury Turnberry resort 20 miles down the Ayrshire coast.

Villagers waved as the convoy passed through nearby Kirkoswald and later arrived at the resort at around 9.30pm.

And he wasted no time in taking to the green after being seen teeing off at the luxury resort.

Several protests were planned, with opponents of Mr Trump gathering in both Edinburgh and Aberdeen earlier this week.

The Stop Trump coalition has planned what it has described as being a “festival of resistance”.

Activists also shut down the Forth Road Bridge in South Queensferry as part of a huge protest ahead of Trump’s visit.

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Climate campaigners from Greenpeace confirmed that 10 activists abseiled from the massive 156m bridge to block an INEOS tanker.

A large number of police and military personnel were seen searching the grounds at the golf resort to ensure Mr Trump’s safety before he teed off.

A high-profile security operation was in full swing with land, sea and air coverage from police and security services while a number of guests were checked over.

Secret service agents with sniffer dogs checked bushes as snipers were positioned on a platform on the edge of the course and the roof of the hotel.

Uniformed and plain clothes cops guarded all access points to the course, including roads, footpaths and the beach.

Amid the search, a few golfers were also spotted at the course, enjoying an early-morning game.

A number of onlookers had gathered at the entrance to Turnberry hoping to catch a glimpse of the game.

But they were not let anywhere near.

Police also had road closures in place, with limited access for locals and members of the media.

Upon his arrival, Mr Trump told reporters: “There’s no place like Turnberry. It’s the best course in the world.”

As well as visiting Trump Turnberry, Mr Trump will later head to Aberdeenshire and visit his golf resort in Balmedie.

During his stay, he will officially open his second course at Menie, named in honour of his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod.

His visit is expected to last until Tuesday, July 29.

The President is also scheduled to meet Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during his trip.

After landing in Scotland, Mr Trump said the “invasion” of migrants is “killing” Europe and told the leaders to “get their act together”.

But when asked about illegal immigration, Mr Trump said a “horrible invasion” was taking place in Europe which needs to stop.

He said: “On immigration, you better get your act together.

“You’re not going to have Europe anymore, you’ve got to get your act together.

“As you know, last month we had nobody entering our country – nobody, [we] shut it down.”

He added: “You’ve got to stop this horrible invasion that’s happening to Europe.”

Mr Trump, who made a crackdown on illegal immigration a major policy in his second term at the White House, boasted: “Last month we had nobody entering our country.”

A massive £5million security operation has been rolled out to ensure his safety, with around 6,000 police officers drafted in from across the UK to support the efforts.

We previously told how police and security services assessed fears that Trump could be assassinated during his visit to Scotland after he survived an attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania last year.

David Threadgold, General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, said “a huge amount of threat assessment and intelligence gathering” took place ahead of the visit.

DONALD Trump called Elon Musk a “big-time drug addict” as his spat with the world’s richest man intensified.

The US President is said to have blasted his billionaire ex-backer as reliant on ketamine in phone calls.

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It came after the Tesla billionaire linked Mr Trump to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Their feud went public on Thursday night as both men used their own social media platforms — X and Truth Social — to insult each other.

Mr Musk, 53, turned on the US leader, calling his Congressional spending bill a “disgusting abomination” on Wednesday.

The President, 78, has called it his “big, beautiful bill”, but Mr Musk believes it will increase national debt by an unsustainable amount.

It triggered the ugly public bust-up, with Musk calling for Trump to be impeached and accusing him of being a close associate of Epstein.

Yesterday, Mr Musk deleted the post, which was seen hundreds of millions of times.

The Washington Post reported Mr Trump used private calls to urge his allies not to pour fuel on the fire and told Vice President JD Vance to be cautious.

But the President, whose campaign took £250million from Mr Musk, is also said to have become weary with the tycoon’s alleged drug use.

He called Mr Musk an “addict” in the calls and claimed he “lost his mind” after leaving the administration.

The businessman previously admitted using ketamine, but it is alleged he became so hooked last year it affected his kidneys.

Mr Musk officially left the government last week but said he would remain as a “friend and adviser” to Mr Trump.

The President last night said he had “no intention” of speaking to Mr Musk, adding: “I think it’s a very bad thing because he’s very disrespectful”.

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DONALD Trump has signed a sweeping new travel ban blocking people from a dozen countries from entering the US — with restrictions set to kick in within days.

The bombshell move, announced late Wednesday, resurrects the explosive “Muslim ban” policy from his first term and will take effect at 12.01am Monday.

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The countries hit with a full ban include Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

In addition to the outright ban, heightened restrictions will be slapped on visitors from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

“I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people,” Trump said in a proclamation.

The sweeping list stems from a January 20 executive order, in which Trump tasked the State Department, Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence with flagging “hostile attitudes” and countries that pose a national security risk.

The crackdown mirrors Trump’s highly controversial 2017 executive order, which initially barred citizens from seven majority-Muslim nations — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen — triggering chaos at airports and global backlash.

Dubbed the “Muslim ban”, it sparked scenes of confusion as travellers, including students and tourists, were blocked from boarding planes or detained after landing in the US.

After legal challenges, the policy was retooled and upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018, with a version targeting Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Syria and Libya, alongside North Korea and Venezuelan officials.

Trump has consistently defended the bans as vital to national security, despite critics accusing him of religious discrimination.

The latest move ramps up his hardline immigration stance as the Republican firebrand gears up for a second term — once again placing border control and national safety at the heart of his presidency.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump held an hour-long call with Vladimir Putin, revealing the Kremlin tyrant “will have to respond” to Ukraine’s devastating drone blitz on Russian airfields.

“It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”

The warning came after Operation Spiderweb — a daring Ukrainian drone assault that wiped out 41 Russian warplanes across four strategic air bases, including nuclear-capable bombers.

The pair also discussed Iran’s nuclear programme, with Trump writing: “I stated to President Putin that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and, on this, I believe that we were in agreement.”

He added: “President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion.”

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

DONALD Trump’s luxury “sky Palace” gifted to him by Qatar will cost a few billion dollars, says the President of Emirates airline.

The US government now faces a “Herculean task” to transform the huge Boeing 747-8 into a new Air Force One fit for a president, warns Sir Tim Clark.

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President Trump, 78, sparked concerns earlier this month with his willingness to accept the plush flying mansion from the Qatari royal family.

The giant gift, worth an estimated $400m (£300m), has raised several ethical questions about if the US leader should be allowed to accept such expensive goods from other states.

But despite the controversy, Trump gladly took the 13-year-old mega jet back to Washington with him.

He now plans to make it part of his Air Force One fleet alongside two other Boeing 747-200 jumbo jets.

They have been operational since 1990 but are now said to be not up to scratch compared to modern planes such as Qatar‘s 747-8.

In order for it to become a fully fledged member of the president’s aviation arsenal however, it will need to go through some serious work.

It would have to be kitted out with top-tier communications and security tech before ever ferrying around Trump.

And significant retrofitting and clearance from security officials would be required.

Sir Tim, president of Emirates, told Piers Morgan Uncensored that President Trump’s flashy plans may cost a “couple of billion dollars”.

He explained to Piers: “I think you’re talking a couple of billion dollars to start with.

“Just roll back a little bit and look at what it takes for us to convert our 777s – from the old to the new – because we haven’t got the Boeing’s coming in at the pace we want them so we’re having to reconfigure all of them.”

The top aviation boss said trying to fix up all the jets as an airline has been an extremely tough task.

Tim admitted to “pulling his hair out” over the regulators and the tiny tweaks that have to be made to modernise a plane of that size and stature.

And he believes the US government will face an even trickier – and much more expensive – battle to get the gifted plane ready for presidential trips.

He said: “It’s a Herculean task, make no mistake about it.

“Whether President Trump will adapt fully, this present from Qatar, to an Air Force One I doubt it, but he’ll certainly get a lot of it done.”

Aviation specialist Jeff Wise also told The Sun that he expects the Air Force One replacement to take years and need billions of dollars pumped into the project to make the jet viable.

Trump’s Air Force One jets currently in use come with dozens of specialised security features.

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These include armoured glass and plating, on board flares to confuse enemy missiles, mirror-ball defences and even an electric jamming system.

Another unique yet needed element is an electromagnetic shield for nuclear explosions.

This has to be on a presidential plane as the leader of Washington can actually launch a nuke from the aircraft.

But the new Qatari jet lacks most of these security features.

Instead, the lavish aeroplane boasts a luxurious interior, featuring spacious suites and rooms with ornate interior decoration.

It also has glittering gold-coloured furnishings and hallways that echo Trump’s well-know interior design preferences.

The president is believed to have spent an hour inspecting the plan when when it was parked at West Palm Beach International Airport back in February.

The luxury Boeing was once even listed for a whopping $400 million, according to the Business Jet Traveler.

During his first stint in office, Trump had ordered two new Air Force One jumbo jets from Boeing to replace the pair that have been in service since George H. W. Bush’s presidency.

But the Boeing contract has faced delays, and reports suggest the new plans would not be ready until after Trump leaves the Oval Office.

Fears Trump’s new Air Force One replacement is vulnerable to devastating HACKS – or worse

By Chief Foreign Reporter, Katie Davis

A LAVISH jumbo jet Donald Trump plans to receive from Qatar will be vulnerable to hacking, an expert has warned.

The Boeing 747 – dubbed a “palace in the sky” – could even be blasted out the sky, aviation specialist Jeff Wise believes.

He fears Trump may bypass necessary measures to save time and money – which could therefore invite hacking or a devastating assassination attempt.

Wise told The Sun: “This Air Force One would be a major intelligence target for any adversary nation or even our allies, because allies love to spy on each other.

“The United States is being given this albatross that they are going to have to spend billions of dollars on to fix up for the personal use of Trump.

“If your job is to protect the President of the United States or if your job is to protect the secrets of the United States, then this is a massive headache for you.

“This is a plane that does not have secure communications and the anti-missiles defence systems that a normal Air Force One has. It’s just wide open.

“This is an administration that is completely irresponsible in the way they use their personal devices. They’re using these off-brand apps to communicate. It’s just a hacker’s dream.”

Wise continued: “I would say an increasing number of people would like to target Air Force One. 

“America’s list of enemies is growing longer and longer as we become an increasingly horrible nation, from the Houthis to the Iranians to the Russians.”

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DONALD Trump’s sweeping global tariffs are now at risk after a court has said he doesn’t have the power to impose the levies himself.

A US federal court in New York on Wednesday blocked most of the import taxes from going into effect, ruling that the president had overstepped his authority.

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The Court of International Trade ruling is a big setback for Trump, who has sought to reshape global trade and put America first by using its economic heft to cut deals.

Trump has started a global trade war with nearly every country by instituting a minimum 10 per tariff on their exports into the US.

He also slapped a 25 per cent tariff on Mexico and Canada, saying he needed to levies to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and the horror drug Fentanyl.

The court’s order could spell an end to Trump’s international trade war as it bars Trump’s most sweeping tariffs, effectively erasing most of the trade restrictions Trump has announced since taking office.

But Trump is likely to appeal and take the fight all the way to the Supreme Court.

White House spokesman Kush Desai said: “Foreign countries’ nonreciprocal treatment of the Unites States has fueled America’s historic and persistent trade deficits.

“These deficits have created a national emergency that has decimated American communities, left our workers behind, and weakened our defense industrial base – facts that the court did not dispute.

“It is not for unelected judges to decide how to properly address a national emergency. President Trump pledged to put America First, and the Administration is committed to using every lever of executive power to address this crisis and restore American Greatness.”

The ruling does not state that tariffs themselves are illegal, but that the executive branch does not have the authority to impose them without Congress.

The president used a 1977 federal economic emergency law to justify a range of levies.

The three-judge panel wrote in an unsigned opinion: “The question in the two cases before the court is whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (“IEEPA”) delegates these powers to the president in the form of authority to impose unlimited tariffs on goods from nearly every country in the world.

“The court does not read IEEPA to confer such unbounded authority and sets aside the challenged tariffs imposed thereunder.”

One of Trump’s key aides, Stephen Miller, attacked the ruling in a post on social media saying: “The judicial coup is out of control.”

Trump memorably held up a board showing rates he was about to set individual trading partners in the White House’s Rose Garden when he announced the tariffs as part of a “liberation day”.

China was clobbered with 34 per cent tariffs, Vietnam 46 per cent, Thailand 36 per cent and Cambodia 49 per cent.

Tariffs on China were eventually increased to a whopping 145 per cent as Trump sought to begin negotiations.

The ten per cent on Britain was at the bottom of the sliding scale devised by Trump’s officials.

Markets were thrown into turmoil but calmed after he paused the larger tariffs for 90 days.

He also suspended some of the higher duties pending negotiations with individual countries and blocs.

Britain has signed a new trade deal with Trump following the imposition of the tariffs – how that will be affected is not yet clear.

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JOE Biden is facing fresh scrutiny over his health while in office amid his “aggressive” prostate cancer diagnosis.

The former president, 82, claimed to have had cancer in a speech he gave three years ago – which sparked fears for his health at the time.

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Biden’s comments came during a speech about “cancer-causing” emissions from oil refineries near his childhood home in Delaware.

He said: “That’s why I and so damn many other people I grew up with have cancer and why for the longest time Delaware had the highest cancer rate in the nation.”

Biden’s use of the present tense led to speculations that the president was suffering from cancer.

But these were dismissed after it was suggested that the comments were a reference to “non-melanoma skin cancers”.

Before assuming the presidency, Biden had a number of “localized, non-melanoma skin cancers” removed by surgery.

In November 2021, Biden had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.

And in February 2023, he had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer.

Non-melanoma skin cancer typically develops in the areas of the body most exposed to the sun such as the face, ears, hands, shoulders, upper chest, and back.

But Biden is now facing fresh scrutiny over his cancer comments following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis on Sunday.

This comes as Donald Trump took a swipe at his predecessor and said he was “surprised” the public wasn’t told long ago about Biden’s cancer.

The US President cast doubt on the timeline of Biden’s diagnosis on Monday as he said it usually takes a “long time” to reach such an aggressive stage of cancer.

Trump was backed up by a leading oncologist who claimed that the former president likely had cancer when he took office in 2021.

Dr Zeke Emanuel said: “He had it while he was President.

“He probably had it at the start of his presidency, in 2021.”

Biden announced his cancer diagnosis in an official statement from his personal office on Sunday.

The statement said that he was seen by doctors last week after suffering urinary symptoms, with a prostate nodule then being found.

He was then diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.

The statement read: “Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms.

“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.

“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.

“The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”

A Gleason score of 9 means the cancerous cells “look very abnormal” and that the disease is “likely to grow quickly”, according to Cancer Research UK.

Biden served as US president from 2021 to 2025, with his term ending on January 20 when Donald Trump took office.

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