Trump admin live updates: Prez calls on gasoline retailers to lower prices ‘immediately’
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Get the latest news from the Trump administration and national politics Monday, as President Trump demands that gasoline retailers “immediately” lower prices at the pump, arguing they were not falling in line with the cost of oil.
Elsewhere, first sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr. — as well as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s sons Brandon and Kyle Lutnick — stand to see a big windfall after businesses tied to the families helped secure a $1.6 billion mining deal in Kazakhstan.
The Supreme Court also dropped a flurry of decisions on the president’s powers: upholding his firing of FTC Commissioner Rebecca Slaughter, but blocking his bid to oust Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
In a major win for Democrats, SCOTUS also found that ballots arriving after Election Day can be counted.
The nation’s highest court refused to take up Trump’s appeal of former advice columnist E. Jean Carroll’s sexual abuse and defamation suit against him — meaning POTUS has no choice but to pony up $5 million in damages after a jury found him liable in 2023.
President Trump shared an image Monday of a decorative golden eagle attached to the railing along the Truman Balcony at the White House.
"A Golden Gift to the White House for its 250th Birthday Year!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Trump's post included the image of the decoration, which appears to be similar to the Great Seal of the United States.
It's unclear who the gift is from or what the 11 stars around the red, white and blue shield in front of the eagle represent.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment.
House Republicans on Monday unveiled a plan to combine President Trump’s long-sought election integrity legislation with a must-pass defense policy bill.
“We’re going to pass a MIRV, or what’s better known as a merge onto the rule,” House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters, according to The Hill. “So what that means is, when Republicans vote for the rule, they’ll be voting not just for the [National Defense Authorization Act] and everything else is there, but they’ll be voting to merge onto that the SAVE America Act we passed back in February.”
“So that will send both of those items together over to the Senate, and so if any Republicans choose to vote against the rule, they will be voting against that outcome.”
The House Rules Committee advanced the $1.1 trillion NDAA and the gambit to attach the Save America Act to it Monday night.
The top Democrat on the rules panel, Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass.), said he expects the Senate to remove the Save America Act from the NDAA if the defense bill clears the full House.
“The Senate will just strip the SAVE Act out,” McGovern said, according to Politico. “There is a zero percent chance SAVE ends up in the [NDAA] because of this rule today.”
The sons of President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stand to see a big windfall after businesses tied to the families helped secure a $1.6 billion mining deal in Kazakhstan, according to a new report.
After Trump and Lutnick closed a deal for an American company called Kaz Resources to mine one of the world’s largest untapped reserves of tungsten last November, records indicate that firms tied to their sons saw financial gain from the contract, the New York Times reported.
Dominari Securities — which is housed at Trump Tower in New York and partly owned by the president’s two eldest sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump — had joined other investors to take a 20% stake in a company related to the project.
President Trump on Monday demanded that gasoline retailers "immediately" lower prices at the pump, arguing gas prices are not falling in line with the cost of oil.
"Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY!" Trump fumed on Truth Social. "They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south.
"The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right — DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE!"
Trump warned price gouging is "totally illegal" and retailers will face "big problems" if they don't lower prices.
"Start targeting around the $2.50 a Gallon number, and California should stop charging such heavy Taxes on their Gasoline," the president continued. "Soon the Tax will be higher than the Product itself, and the United States will not stand for it, nor will the People of California, who are being abused by these ridiculous Taxes, and by their own Government."
The average cost of gallon of regular was $3.86 on Monday, according to AAA, up from the $2.98 price in the days before Trump launched the war in Iran.
Last week, Trump called on the Justice Department to investigate large oil companies over elevated gasoline prices.
The price of crude, which peaked at around $120 per barrel amid the conflict, has dropped back down to pre-war levels (just under $70 per barrel) now that the Strait of Hormuz has been reopened.
President Trump announced Monday that he will nominate acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling to serve in the role on a permanent basis.
"It is my Great Honor to announce that I am nominating Keith E. Sonderling, the outstanding Acting United States Secretary of Labor, to be permanent," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"Keith previously served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer and, during my First Term, worked at the U.S. Department of Labor as the Acting and Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division," the president added.
"Throughout his career, Keith has proven his dedication to delivering strong results for the Hardworking People of our Country, and I know he will do an incredible job in his new role."
Sonderling replaced embattled former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in April, who resigned after The Post first exposed the sprawling misconduct investigation into the ex-Cabinet official.
The White House mocked Joe Biden's criticism of President Trump's building projects with a quippy message it blasted across social media.
The former president, speaking at an event in Maryland, derided Trump's plans for a ceremonial arch and his work on the reflecting pool, saying: "Whoa, what a loser."
White House spokesman Davis Ingle responded via USA Today, saying: "Joe Biden's brain is mashed potatoes. We wish him and his family well during this difficult time."
President Trump warned Monday that "security is watching" over dozens of DC monuments ahead of the Fourth of July — as he revealed plans to drain the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool for repairs after the country's 250th anniversary celebration.
"After July 4th, we will release the water, fix the damage done to the very expensive waterproof matting, with the use of sharp knives and muscle, including the 350 foot gash along its right side, and have it looking as good as it was two weeks ago, when it was absolutely PERFECT!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
"This will all happen very quickly. Security is watching very carefully for the almost 70 other Monuments, Statues, and Fountains that we renovated throughout Washington, D.C. If anyone attacks any of them, they get as much as 10 years in jail."
Trump wrote that "Vandals and Radical Left SCUM that hate our Country" damaged the massive pool after the recent installation of a blue liner, though other theories offered by experts include improper installation of the material resulting in rips and poor adhesion.
President Trump expressed hope that the Supreme Court would strike down automatic birthright citizenship when it releases its decision in the case on Tuesday.
"I think it's very bad for our nation. We're the only nation that does it. No other nation does that birthright citizenship, no, not even close. Some did it, they ended it. It's tremendously destructive, it's extremely costly," Trump said in the Oval Office.
"It's up to them, but in terms of for the good of the country, it'd be great if they didn't allow it, it would be great, but I can't tell you."
Trump also said "I guess I have to accept [the outcome], it's the Supreme Court."
President Trump said Monday that he considers legislation other than the SAVE America Act to be "a big yawn" — as he continued to withhold his signature from bipartisan measures to increase pressure to pass the bundle of election reforms.
"Compared to the Save America Act, just about everything is a big yawn," Trump said in the Oval Office as he ripped Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) as "Trump deranged" and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as "very disloyal to John Thune," the Senate majority leader.
The election legislation would impose new national restrictions on the use of mail-in ballots and would establish a national ID mandate to vote.
In an effort to coerce more support, Trump said he would withhold his signature from a bill reauthorizing Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and from a bipartisan housing bill that passed last week.
Presidents Trump signed a memorandum Monday ordering EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin to support Americans' right to fix their own cars — with the document also kicking off un effort to break up a California regulator's alleged monopoly on certification of aftermarket parts.
The issue "came to my attention because they noticed they were arresting people for fixing their car," Trump said in the Oval Office before signing the document, the full text of which was not immediately made public.
"We rule by common sense to a large extent. Can you imagine that? They want to put you in jail if you fix your car."
Zeldin, who joined Trump, said that the memo will "put an end" to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) controlling what after-market parts can be legally sold to comply with federal environmental regulations.
"We're going to break that monopoly, and no longer will CARB be the only third-party certified for these aftermarket parts," Zeldin said. "President Trump is insisting on fixing it. This presidential memo does that."
President Trump cheered the Supreme Court's decision to uphold his firing of a Federal Trade Commission official on Monday, declaring it "the Greatest Increase in Presidential Power in the last 100 years."
"Such a Monumental Ruling at such an important time!" Trump boasted on his Truth Social.
The high court ruled that the president had acted lawfully in sacking FTC commissioner Rebecca Slaughter last year.