Tom Howell Jr.
Articles by Tom Howell Jr.
Bessent will interview 11 candidates to replace Powell at Fed
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Tuesday he plans to interview nearly a dozen "very strong" candidates to replace Jerome Powell as chair of the Federal Reserve. Published August 19, 2025
Zelenskyy sports more formal attire for follow-up meeting at the White House
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday donned a more formal new look for his high-stakes White House meeting with President Trump. Published August 18, 2025
Trump pledges to rid U.S. of mail-in votes and some voting machines, deeming them a ‘scam’
President Trump said Monday he will lead a "movement" to scrap mail-in ballots and certain voting machines from U.S. elections, saying paper ballots with watermarks are more reliable. Published August 18, 2025
India’s oil purchases from Russia must stop, Peter Navarro writes in a stinging op-ed
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro says India is fueling Russia's invasion of Ukraine with its continued purchases of Russian oil and must stop. Published August 18, 2025
Coffee industry braces for impact of Brazil tariffs: ‘Cause for concern’
Americans consume over 1.6 million tons of coffee each year. That morning fix is set to get more expensive. Published August 15, 2025
Abbott calls second special legislative session to push redistricting in Texas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott urged "delinquent" state House Democrats to return to Austin on Friday as he called a second special legislative session that hinges on a controversial redistricting plan. Published August 15, 2025
Wholesale prices rose faster than expected in July, says Bureau of Labor Statistics
Wholesale prices rose 0.9% in July, exceeding Wall Street forecasts and potentially hurting President Trump's push for interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. Published August 14, 2025
Texas Democrats weigh return, urge Gov. Abbott to focus on flood recovery instead of redistricting
Texas Democrats said Wednesday they will "issue demands" for a planned second special session as they consider whether to return to Austin when the current special session adjourns Friday. Published August 13, 2025
‘Woefully out of balance’: U.S. debt surpasses $37 trillion
The U.S. national debt has exceeded $37 trillion, raising fears that the country's sea of red ink is rising faster than expected. Published August 13, 2025
Trump names Heritage Foundation economist to lead Bureau of Labor Statistics
President Trump said he's naming E.J. Antoni, an economist at a major conservative think tank, to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Published August 12, 2025
Trump tariff revenue jumps to $25B monthly as inflation holds steady
President Trump's tariffs are fattening federal coffers. Published August 12, 2025
Inflation holds steady as Trump ramps up new tariffs
Prices rose 0.2% in July in a sign that tariffs haven't had a major impact on inflation so far, the government said Tuesday. Published August 12, 2025
Trump says some land-swapping may be necessary to end Russia-Ukraine war
President Trump said he'll know quickly when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday whether or not it's possible to make a deal on ending Russia's war with Ukraine, and said some "changing in land" may be necessary to end the Russian invasion. Published August 11, 2025
Retail spending surged in July despite fears
Retail spending was robust in July as consumers snapped up summer sales and wages grew above the rate of inflation, a monitor's report said Monday. Published August 11, 2025
Flurry of huge trade deals buries Trump tariff doubters
Big trade deals with Japan and the European Union have injected momentum into President Trump's trade agenda and knocked his critics back on their heels. Published July 30, 2025
Foes of Trump’s tariffs get their day in court and a shot at unraveling his trade deals
President Trump's unilateral power to impose tariffs on other nations will be hotly debated before a federal appeals court Thursday, a case that could upend the White House trade agenda and void the huge trade deals already struck. Published July 29, 2025
Trump says most nations should expect tariffs of 15% to 20% on their products
President Trump said the baseline tariff rate for most countries will be in the "15% to 20%" range as he strikes deals and assigns tariffs before a Friday deadline to set his trade terms. Published July 28, 2025
Wine, spirits industries seek a zero-tariff deal after EU trade pact with U.S.
Wine and spirits companies are urging the U.S. and the European Union to strike a zero-tariff deal after the big trade pact announced over the weekend left them in limbo. Published July 28, 2025
Europe reacts to U.S. trade deal, with French prime minister calling it ‘a dark day’
European politicians and industries were happy to avoid a trade war with the U.S. but aren't thrilled with the terms of the truce, saying the bloc capitulated to President Trump and tariffs would hold them back. Published July 28, 2025
Trump predicts 50% chance of trade deal with EU
President Trump says the U.S. has a "50-50 chance" of making a trade agreement with the European Union as negotiators race against an Aug. 1 tariff deadline. Published July 25, 2025
