| WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION: President Trump, frustrated after more than a year of trade negotiations with China, tweeted on Thursday that the United States would impose a 10 percent tariff on an additional $300 billion worth of Chinese imports beginning Sept. 1, another escalation in a trade war he suggests Beijing may be trying to drag out through the U.S. presidential election. Trump’s decision, which China warned will be met with reciprocal punishment, increases the likelihood that the world’s two largest economies will be locked in a protracted trade dispute for months, if not years (The New York Times). Trump’s announcement followed half a day of what the administration called “constructive” talks that ended Wednesday between U.S. and Chinese negotiators in Shanghai. The president said the tariff rate could increase to as much as 25 percent, depending on whether the two governments strike a deal. “I could always do more or I could do less,” he said.
The penalty, combined with the existing 25 percent tariff on $250 billion in Chinese goods, would cover almost all products the U.S. brings in from China (The Hill).
"China, they have to pay it," Trump told reporters. "They're paying for these tariffs. We're not. …Until such time as there is a deal, we'll be taxing them."
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin wanted to give Beijing advance notice that Trump’s tariffs announcement was coming, but was overruled (Bloomberg). The president’s action prompted a swoon in financial markets and retailers protested, arguing tariffs raise costs on goods American consumers purchase and will result in U.S. job losses (The Associated Press). Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, traveling in Thailand on Thursday for separate bilateral discussions, criticized China for what he called “coercion” in the Southeast Asia region following a meeting with a top Chinese diplomat (Reuters). > North Korea: Trump on Thursday said the situation with North Korea’s missile tests “is very much under control,” arguing that the United States and Kim Jong Un “never made an agreement” on testing of short-range missiles: Pompeo joined the president in shrugging off Pyongyang’s tests as a danger, saying he remains hopeful that diplomatic talks with North Korea will resume “before too long” (The Associated Press). “We stand ready to continue our diplomatic conversation with the North Koreans,” Pompeo said in Bangkok. “We’re ready to go. We hope that Chairman Kim will deploy his team to meet with [U.S.] Special Representative [Stephen] Biegun so that we can continue the dialogue. … I’m optimistic that that will happen before too long, and we are looking forward to the chance to reconnect with them in a formal way diplomatically.” Reuters: North Korea launched missiles today, for the third time in eight days, pressuring the Trump administration and South Korea. 
© Getty Images > Afghanistan: The United States is preparing to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan in exchange for concessions from the Taliban including a cease-fire and renunciation of al Qaeda. The initial deal — not completed — could end the nearly 18-year-old war (The Washington Post). > Nuclear treaty: As anticipated, the administration today announced U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range-Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia “due to the Russian Federation’s continuing violation” of an arms control agreement negotiated 32 years ago. The United States plans to test a new missile in coming weeks that would have been prohibited under the pact (The Associated Press). “Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise,” the State Department said in a statement. > Justice Department: As The Hill reported Wednesday, former FBI Director James Comey will not be prosecuted by DOJ for leaking memos he drafted in 2017 containing information subsequently classified by the department. Comey testified to Congress and wrote a best-selling book in which he described information-sharing with the news media motivated by his effort to trigger an independent Russia-Trump investigation, which became the special counsel probe conducted by Robert Mueller (The Associated Press). > White House security clearances: The intelligence community’s inspector general (IG) denied a request from Senate Democrats to review the policies and procedures involved in the administration’s granting of White House security clearances. The IG said Trump would have to request such a probe (CNN). "As a legal matter, the ICIG also lacks authority to unilaterally review compliance by the [Executive Office of the President] with policies and procedures governing security clearances," IG Michael Atkinson wrote to senators. **** MORE CONGRESS: The Senate broke for the August recess on Thursday after it passed the bipartisan agreement to lift the spending caps and the debt ceiling for two years, with most Democrats and more than half of GOP lawmakers voting for the bill. The Senate voted 67-28 to send the bill to Trump’s desk. The bill will add $320 billion to the deficit over the next two years, and $1.7 trillion over the next decade rather than automatic spending cuts that would have taken effect. The deal was the final piece of must-pass legislation the Senate needed to move on before leaving town for five weeks and returning after Labor Day. Trump had urged Senate Republicans to pass the bill due to the spending increases included for the Pentagon and veterans. Just a week earlier, only 65 House Republicans voted for the package when it passed the lower chamber (The Hill). The Hill: Trump border fight throws curveball into shutdown prospects. The Hill: The 23 Republicans who opposed Trump-backed budget deal. The Washington Post: Trump’s North America trade deal in limbo as Congress leaves town. > Election Security: Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is keeping pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to pass an election security package after the August break. Schumer predicted to reporters that “pressure will continue to mount” on McConnell and Senate Republicans until they pass something aimed at protecting the 2020 elections from potential meddling by the Russians and other foreign adversaries (The Hill). "I do want to make one prediction: I predict that the pressure will continue to mount on Republican senators, especially Leader McConnell, and they will be forced to join us in taking meaningful action on election security this fall," Schumer told reporters during a pre-recess press conference. In recent weeks, Democrats have tried to bring bills to the floor using unanimous consent requests that have been blocked by Republicans, including McConnell, who has been dubbed by some as “Moscow Mitch,” leading him to issue a fiery rebuke on the Senate floor. “I was called unpatriotic, un-American and essentially treasonous by a couple of left-wing pundits on the basis of bold-faced lies. I was accused of aiding and abetting the very man I’ve singled out as an adversary and opposed for nearly 20 years, Vladimir Putin,” McConnell railed (The Hill). Elsewhere in Congress … With the House out of town, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) tweeted Thursday that she is in Africa with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), saying that the Speaker “didn’t just make arrangements to send me back, she went back with me” (The Hill). | 
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