https://www.scmp.com/rss/520117/feed America's politics, domestic or otherwise, are rarely less than contentious. From the tussles between the Republicans and Democrats to divisions over abortion, affirmative action and police violence, these are the latest developments. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Washington’s senior envoys to the United Nations took a victory lap in Senate testimony on Wednesday over the US-inspired cuts and efficiency drive at the multilateral agency, even as they slammed its inability to end the conflict in Ukraine, stem the Iran war started by the US and Israel or curb China’s growing clout. Mike Waltz, US ambassador to the UN, touted the US$570 million in UN budget cuts, 3,000 fewer jobs and the US decision to pull out of several UN agencies, even as he defended US... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350229/us-envoy-waltz-touts-america-first-policy-budget-cuts-senate-swipe-un?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3350229/us-envoy-waltz-touts-america-first-policy-budget-cuts-senate-swipe-un?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 21:29:48 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin American views on China have softened ahead of a high-stakes summit between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in May, with positive sentiment nearly doubling since 2023, a survey by the Pew Research Centre has found. While a significant majority of Americans still regard China as a competitor to the US rather than a partner, fewer call the world’s second largest economy an adversary than in 2025, according to the survey, which was released on Tuesday. “Today, 27... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350109/trump-will-head-beijing-amid-warming-trend-sentiment-about-china-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350109/trump-will-head-beijing-amid-warming-trend-sentiment-about-china-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters US congressman Eric Swalwell said on Monday he will resign from the House of Representatives, bowing to pressure from both Democrats and Republicans to leave Congress or face expulsion following sexual misconduct allegations that upended his campaign for governor. The California Democrat vowed to fight the allegations but said ‌he must also “take responsibility and ownership” of his mistakes. “Expelling anyone in Congress without due process, within days of an allegation being made, is wrong,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349966/swalwell-quit-congress-following-sexual-misconduct-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349966/swalwell-quit-congress-following-sexual-misconduct-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 23:03:14 +0000 Yuanyue Dang,Dewey Sim Yuanyue Dang,Dewey Sim US President Donald Trump on Friday pressed Iran to meet US demands, as Vice-President J.D. Vance travelled to Pakistan to lead high-stakes negotiations seen as a key effort to end the more than month-long Middle East conflict. The talks between the US and Iran, taking place during the agreed two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, are expected to begin on Saturday morning in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. Clouding the talks were Iranian demands, namely a ceasefire in Lebanon and the release... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349714/us-presses-iran-talks-gear-pakistan-under-fragile-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349714/us-presses-iran-talks-gear-pakistan-under-fragile-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:24:00 +0000 Reuters Reuters A US judge in Washington ruled ⁠on Thursday that the Pentagon is ⁠hampering journalists in defiance of a court order that required it to restore access to credentialled reporters covering the seat of US military power. US District Judge Paul Friedman said the Defence Department must comply with his earlier order that sided with The New York Times newspaper and other news organisations ‌challenging restrictions imposed on them last year. “The Department cannot simply reinstate an unlawful policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349574/us-judge-orders-pentagon-restore-press-access-credentialed-reporters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349574/us-judge-orders-pentagon-restore-press-access-credentialed-reporters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 22:40:07 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo It might have made a good April Fool’s joke. Unfortunately, it was not. “Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F***in’ Strait, you crazy b*****ds, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah. President DONALD J. TRUMP.” Really, who writes like that? Even a tinpot dictator from some godforsaken hellhole would have written a less expletive-laden post to retain some personal dignity as a leader of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349114/why-donald-trump-now-needs-forever-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349114/why-donald-trump-now-needs-forever-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for Steve Bannon, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump, to overturn his conviction in a case linked to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Bannon, a leading figure on the far-right, served four months in prison in 2024 for defying a subpoena to testify before a congressional panel investigating the 2021 attack. But he appealed to the Supreme Court to have the conviction overturned, a legal challenge the Trump administration joined in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349196/supreme-court-clears-path-overturn-conviction-ex-trump-aide-steve-bannon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349196/supreme-court-clears-path-overturn-conviction-ex-trump-aide-steve-bannon?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:55:00 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump is seeking congressional approval for US$1.5 trillion in defence spending in his new budget proposal, underscoring his administration’s focus on military investment as the country remains engaged in conflict in the Middle East. The blueprint released by the White House on Friday for the financial year 2027 proposes a 44 per cent increase in the US defence budget – implementing the widely controversial plan first unveiled by Trump in a January social media post. If... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349007/trump-administration-seeks-us15-trillion-defence-new-budget-request?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3349007/trump-administration-seeks-us15-trillion-defence-new-budget-request?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:26:42 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan After avoiding much of the churn, firings and senior official turnover that marked his first term, US President Donald Trump on Thursday added to the string of high-profile departures in recent days, as bad news heaped more pressure on the White House. The administration announced that US Attorney General Pam Bondi was leaving to be replaced by her deputy, Todd Blanche, in an acting capacity. “We love Pam,” Trump wrote on social media. “She will be transitioning to a much-needed and important... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348858/trump-fires-pam-bondi-us-attorney-general-amid-epstein-files-furore?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:20:46 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Why didn’t China develop its own scientific and industrial revolutions when it made so many discoveries and advances over millennia? That is often called “Needham’s question”, named after the historian of Chinese science and tech Joseph Needham. Why didn’t China develop capitalism during the Song dynasty when it was so close to achieving a breakthrough with trade, commerce, currency and semi-industrialisation, and an emerging merchant class? The Hungarian-French sinologist Etienne Balazs, among... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348381/why-china-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3348381/why-china-always-misunderstood-and-misrepresented?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Pentagon has flouted a court order blocking it from enforcing a policy limiting news reporters’ access to the Defence Department’s headquarters, a lawyer for The New York Times asserted on Monday in urging a federal judge to compel the government’s compliance with the 10-day-old order. US District Judge Paul Friedman did not immediately rule from the bench after hearing a second round of arguments from lawyers for the newspaper and the Trump administration. The New York Times claims Pentagon... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348453/new-york-times-accuses-pentagon-flouting-judges-order-blocking-its-press-access-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348453/new-york-times-accuses-pentagon-flouting-judges-order-blocking-its-press-access-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:59:51 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng After eight decades of relative peace following the end of World War II, we now find ourselves in the midst of the Russian invasion of Ukraine entering its fourth year and escalating violence between Israel, the US and Iran. After 12 days of fighting last June, the latter conflagration has erupted again in a widening war that has killed Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and closed the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices to near record highs. In 1984, American historian Barbara... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347982/time-confront-folly-iran-war-and-irrational-us-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347982/time-confront-folly-iran-war-and-irrational-us-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Justice Department has settled for roughly US$1.2 million a lawsuit from Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump who pleaded guilty during the Republican’s first term to lying to the FBI about his conversations with a top Russian diplomat and was later pardoned. Court papers filed Wednesday do not reveal the settlement amount, but a person familiar with the matter, who spoke to Associated Press on condition of anonymity to disclose nonpublic... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347921/justice-department-settles-lawsuit-trump-ally-michael-flynn-us12-million?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347921/justice-department-settles-lawsuit-trump-ally-michael-flynn-us12-million?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 23:05:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump will not attend a major annual gathering of American conservatives for the first time in a decade, a White House official said on Wednesday. The Republican billionaire has been a marquee fixture at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) since 2016, but will miss this year’s edition due to a busy schedule amid the “ongoing Iran conflict”, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The conference this year is being held from Wednesday to Saturday... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347920/trump-skip-major-annual-conservative-gathering-first-time-decade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347920/trump-skip-major-annual-conservative-gathering-first-time-decade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:15:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Newly released records in the ⁠now-dismissed classified documents case against US President Donald Trump raise fresh concerns over national security risks and potential private business motivations, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee said. The records, handed over by the US Department of Justice as part of the Republican-led panel’s investigation into former US Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into Trump, show FBI investigators said in a 2023 memo that the classified... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347915/new-records-trump-documents-case-raise-concerns-over-business-conflict-us-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347915/new-records-trump-documents-case-raise-concerns-over-business-conflict-us-lawmaker?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 19:29:59 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Supreme Court on Tuesday appeared likely to rule in favour of President ⁠Donald Trump’s administration in its defence of the government’s authority to turn away asylum seekers when officials deem US-Mexico border crossings too overburdened to handle additional claims. The justices heard arguments in a legal dispute involving a policy called “metering” that the Republican president’s administration may seek to revive after it was dropped by Trump’s Democratic predecessor Joe Biden in 2021.... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347771/supreme-court-justices-lean-towards-trump-asylum-processing-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347771/supreme-court-justices-lean-towards-trump-asylum-processing-case?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:24:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Delta Air Lines said ⁠on Tuesday it would ⁠suspend special services for ⁠members of Congress, citing the impact of a partial government shutdown that has disrupted US air travel. “Due to the impact on resources from the long-standing government shutdown, Delta will temporarily suspend ‌specialty services to members of Congress flying Delta. “Next to safety, Delta’s no. 1 priority is taking care of our people and customers, which has become increasingly difficult in the current environment,” the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347765/delta-suspends-special-treatment-congress-government-shutdown-sows-airport-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347765/delta-suspends-special-treatment-congress-government-shutdown-sows-airport-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:03:50 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Is bulls*** worse than lying? The late Princeton philosopher Harry Frankfurt thought so. I am not entirely convinced that it’s always true, but in the case of US President Donald Trump, it most certainly is. I am not denying Trump is a constant liar, but I think the essential characteristic that defines his personality and career as a politician is his BS rather than lies. As Frankfurt wrote in his essay On Bulls***, “One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347538/donald-trump-purest-symbol-post-truth-america?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3347538/donald-trump-purest-symbol-post-truth-america?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters A federal judge on Monday blocked US President Donald Trump’s administration from enforcing a new policy that would subject thousands of refugees to arrest and detention if after a year in the United States they had yet to obtain green ‌cards. US District Judge Richard Stearns in Boston acted at the request of six refugees and two advocacy groups who argued the US Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) policy was an unlawful departure from decades of practice. The plaintiffs alleged the policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347643/us-district-judge-blocks-trump-administration-detaining-thousands-refugees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347643/us-district-judge-blocks-trump-administration-detaining-thousands-refugees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 21:40:38 +0000 Reuters Reuters Absences among transportation security ⁠workers this weekend reached their highest since a partial US government shutdown began five weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security said on Sunday, while immigration enforcement agents prepared to fill in for them at some of the busiest US airports. At airports in Houston, New York and Atlanta, more than one-third of Transportation Security Administration staff were calling in sick or otherwise absent, DHS said, as the shutdown left tens of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347514/trump-administration-touts-plan-ice-airports-amid-criticism-union-democrats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347514/trump-administration-touts-plan-ice-airports-amid-criticism-union-democrats?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 22:19:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Trump administration filed a lawsuit on Friday against Harvard University, accusing the institution of allowing a “hostile environment” towards Jewish and Israeli students during pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus from 2023 to 2025. President Donald Trump has launched an offensive against major American universities, accusing them of giving free rein on their campuses to pro-Palestinian movements in the face of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, action which he equates with... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3347411/us-government-sues-harvard-over-anti-israel-protests-cites-hostile-environment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3347411/us-government-sues-harvard-over-anti-israel-protests-cites-hostile-environment?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 05:27:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters A 31-year-old Georgia woman has been charged with murder after she took abortion medication and gave birth to a premature infant who died within hours, according to court documents and arrest records. Alexia Moore was arrested, charged and jailed by local police earlier this month ‌in coastal Camden County, Georgia, near the Florida border over the episode on December 30. Nearly all abortions in Georgia are illegal after six weeks of pregnancy. Since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3347404/us-woman-charged-murder-after-taking-abortion-pill-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3347404/us-woman-charged-murder-after-taking-abortion-pill-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 02:15:04 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US crypto advocates have increasingly pointed to competition with China’s new interest-bearing e-CNY to demand legislative clarity on stablecoin yields, but China is charting a completely different course for the future of digital money, experts said. “The world’s two largest economies are not so much competing in digital assets as they are pursuing very different strategies,” said Andrew Fei, a partner at law firm King & Wood Mallesons in Hong Kong. Winston Ma, adjunct professor and executive... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347221/us-china-split-digital-money-deepens-stablecoin-debate-stalls-clarity-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3347221/us-china-split-digital-money-deepens-stablecoin-debate-stalls-clarity-act?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:22:14 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US artificial intelligence and robotics firms have urged lawmakers to take action against Chinese robot manufacturers – singling out Unitree Robotics – citing increased competition and national security risks, in a sign that humanoid robots may emerge as a new battleground in the widening US-China tech rivalry. China’s speed of advancement in humanoid robots is alarming, and the US government should formulate coordinated policies and strategies to counter Chinese firms’ dominance in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3346942/us-sounds-alarm-over-chinas-humanoid-robots-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 22:00:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Republican candidate backed by US President Donald Trump will advance to a run-off against a Democrat in the Georgia race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene in the US House of Representatives, after a special election on Tuesday seen as a test of Trump’s sway over his party. Trump’s preferred candidate, former district attorney for four northwest Georgia counties Clay Fuller, will face Shawn Harris, a moderate Democrat who has sought to court disillusioned Trump voters, in ‌the April 7... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346176/us-special-election-replace-marjorie-taylor-greene-leads-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3346176/us-special-election-replace-marjorie-taylor-greene-leads-run?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 04:41:08 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump’s 2026 Trade Policy Agenda sharpens and, in some ways, reshapes Washington’s approach to Beijing, blending enforcement with a new emphasis on “managed” trade between the world’s two largest economies. United States Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer delivered the 2026 Trade Policy Agenda and 2025 Annual Report to Congress on Monday, highlighting a significant shift in the US-China trade relationship. Managing trade with China for “reciprocity and balance” is one... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3345191/trumps-2026-trade-agenda-sharpens-push-managed-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3345191/trumps-2026-trade-agenda-sharpens-push-managed-us-china-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 20:45:28 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump said on Monday that US forces would press ahead with “ferocious, unyielding resolve” to “eliminate the intolerable threat posed by this sick and sinister regime” in Iran, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come”. “We projected for four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go longer than that,” Trump said, adding: “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projection”. In his speech on Monday at a White House... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:29:12 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump vowed to press ahead with a sweeping military campaign against Iran until US objectives are fully achieved, warning that additional American casualties were likely even as Washington intensified what he described as one of the largest offensives in modern history. “Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” Trump said in a video posted on social media, referring to the deaths of three US service members confirmed earlier by the US Central Command. “That’s the way... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345054/pentagon-confirms-three-american-deaths-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345054/pentagon-confirms-three-american-deaths-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 16:21:58 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Wendy Wu,Laura Zhou,Zhuang Pinghui Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Wendy Wu,Laura Zhou,Zhuang Pinghui Iran has confirmed the death of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in US and Israeli air strikes on the weekend, raising questions for the next leader of a country in a region bracing for further attacks. US President Donald Trump called Khamenei “one of the most evil people in history” and said the strikes delivered justice for Iranians, Americans and others “killed or mutilated” by him. As the US and Israeli attacks on Iran entered a second day, Tehran declared a seven-day public... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344994/global-powers-divided-china-expresses-deep-concern-over-us-israel-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344994/global-powers-divided-china-expresses-deep-concern-over-us-israel-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:48:19 +0000 Marco Vicenzino Marco Vicenzino The coordinated US and Israeli strikes inside Iran mark more than another episode in a long-running confrontation. They represent a structural escalation – one whose consequences extend well beyond the Middle East. This is not the start of a new war. It is the next stage in a conflict that has been unfolding since October 2023, gradually shifting from proxy exchanges and shadow operations to direct state-on-state confrontation. On February 28, Washington moved from strategic backstop to visible... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344982/us-israeli-strike-iran-signals-new-phase-global-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344982/us-israeli-strike-iran-signals-new-phase-global-escalation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:20:08 +0000 Lucy Quaggin Lucy Quaggin United States first lady Melania Trump is set to chair a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York on Monday, the White House announced, marking the first time a spouse of a serving world leader has done so. “First lady Melania Trump is set to make history at the United Nations, taking the gavel as the United States assumes the Security Council Presidency to emphasise education’s role in advancing tolerance and world peace,” the White House said. The US assumes a monthly... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3344794/melania-trump-preside-over-un-security-council-meeting-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3344794/melania-trump-preside-over-un-security-council-meeting-white-house-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 23:34:42 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen Weee, an online grocer specialising in Asian and Latino goods, is betting that America’s appetite for ethnic food and grocery delivery will outlast a sharp drop in immigration, with its founder forecasting years of double-digit growth even as the Trump administration tightens border controls. The San Francisco-based company has seen its annual revenue grow at about 30 to 40 per cent from 2023 to 2025, and is expecting to expand at the same pace in the next five to 10 years, founder and CEO Larry... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3344657/immigration-slows-americas-appetite-ethnic-groceries-keeps-growing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3344657/immigration-slows-americas-appetite-ethnic-groceries-keeps-growing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 22:52:06 +0000 Dewey Sim,Zhao Ziwen Dewey Sim,Zhao Ziwen US President Donald Trump pushed a message of economic strength and global leadership in the first State of the Union address of his second term on Tuesday night, seeking to rally voters ahead of the November midterm elections. In the nearly two-hour speech – the longest of its kind – the American leader made no direct mention of China, a move analysts said could be aimed at avoiding fresh friction with Beijing ahead of his visit. Trump’s administration is grappling with a range of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344594/donald-trump-touts-us-golden-age-avoids-direct-mention-china-ahead-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344594/donald-trump-touts-us-golden-age-avoids-direct-mention-china-ahead-beijing-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:12:31 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim US President Donald Trump delivered his first official State of Union address of his second term on Tuesday night, defending his policies and touting his administration’s biggest achievements since his return to the White House. In the longest speech of its kind, Trump spoke of a “golden age of America”, saying “America is respected again, perhaps like never before”. The American leader is grappling with a series of challenges, including rising economic woes, mounting foreign policy tensions and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344546/5-top-takeaways-us-president-donald-trumps-2026-state-union-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3344546/5-top-takeaways-us-president-donald-trumps-2026-state-union-address?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 04:50:52 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. US President Donald Trump delivered the traditional State of the Union address to a divided Congress, reviewing his first year in office and outlining priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. In the longest speech of its kind, Trump spoke of a “golden age of America”, saying... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344525/us-president-donald-trump-deliver-state-union-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344525/us-president-donald-trump-deliver-state-union-address?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 01:54:21 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen Khushboo Razdan,Xinmei Shen As US President Donald Trump prepares for a high-stakes summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing from March 31 to April 2, analysts say recent American policy reversals, including a Supreme Court ruling striking down broad tariffs, have shifted trade tensions into a phase of cautious stability rather than escalation. The legal setback has strengthened China’s negotiating position, bolstered by lowered effective tariffs, its leverage over critical minerals like rare earths, and a more... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344388/us-tariff-ruling-points-steadier-us-china-ties-ahead-april-summit-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3344388/us-tariff-ruling-points-steadier-us-china-ties-ahead-april-summit-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:49:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters A US judge permanently barred the Justice Department on Monday from releasing a prosecutor’s report on the criminal case accusing US President Donald Trump of unlawfully retaining classified documents following his first term in office. Florida-based US District Judge Aileen Cannon found that releasing the report would be a “manifest injustice” to the Republican president and two ‌former associates who were charged alongside him because it would detail substantial allegations of criminal... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344380/us-judge-permanently-blocks-release-report-trump-classified-documents-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344380/us-judge-permanently-blocks-release-report-trump-classified-documents-case?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 17:47:49 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo When you buy a stock, you are paying for future profits, not current earnings. It seems that a similar principle applies to countries. The fact that a company or a country is at the top now means nothing if the main indicators are flashing red. I am reminded of this investment adage by a new article in Foreign Affairs, titled “The Multipolar Delusion and the Unilateral Temptation”. It argues there has been, and still is, only one hegemonic pole in the international order, and that is the United... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344011/america-without-independent-institutions-cannot-stay-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3344011/america-without-independent-institutions-cannot-stay-no-1?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Working closely with like-minded countries remains the most effective strategy to counter an increasingly powerful China – in marked contrast to the policies of US President Donald Trump – said a former senior US official, while admitting that the Joe Biden administration made some key mistakes that undercut its own effectiveness. “Given the size and the immensity of the China challenge, the only way that the United States is going to be effective to meet that challenge is if we work with other... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3344053/former-biden-official-says-us-must-work-allies-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3344053/former-biden-official-says-us-must-work-allies-counter-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:16:01 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The White House declined on Wednesday to comment on reports that US President Donald Trump is weighing whether to cancel or delay a major new arms package to Taiwan, as he seeks to keep an expected April summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on track amid pressure from Beijing. “I don’t have any announcement or updates to share,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. On Monday, Trump told journalists he had discussed the potential sales with Xi. “I’ve talked to him about it. We had a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3343949/white-house-deflects-trump-weighs-taiwan-arms-sale-delay-amid-beijing-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3343949/white-house-deflects-trump-weighs-taiwan-arms-sale-delay-amid-beijing-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 23:42:33 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A bipartisan chorus of lawmakers and national security experts in Washington is calling on the administration of US President Donald Trump to convene a Quadrilateral Security Dialogue leaders’ summit ahead of Trump’s expected meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in April. The push aims to project a unified front among Indo-Pacific democracies and prevent potential misunderstandings during high-stakes negotiations with Beijing. The Quad, an informal grouping that also includes Japan and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343854/bipartisan-push-grows-quad-summit-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343854/bipartisan-push-grows-quad-summit-trumps-china-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 22:18:25 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan Hasan Piker knew his first trip to China would provoke backlash. What he did not expect was how quickly the debate would collapse into a binary: propaganda or patriotism. The live-streamer, and one of the most influential political commentators on the left among young Americans, travelled to China last year and live-streamed his experiences to over 3 million followers across platforms, including Twitch and YouTube. Clips of his visit circulated widely, some carried by Chinese state-linked... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3343845/hasan-piker-talks-about-his-controversial-china-trip-and-thinking-chinese-thoughts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3343845/hasan-piker-talks-about-his-controversial-china-trip-and-thinking-chinese-thoughts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:30:31 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier The US Government experienced its second shutdown in four months on Saturday, as funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) halted, underscoring Washington’s growing partisanship and dysfunction. But in an ironic twist, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, at the centre of the Congressional showdown, will continue to operate despite being part of DHS, given its independent source of funding. In an unprecedented move, US President Donald Trump’s administration has allocated at... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343562/partial-us-government-shutdown-throws-congress-turmoil-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343562/partial-us-government-shutdown-throws-congress-turmoil-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou Finbarr Bermingham,Laura Zhou On the margins of a glitzy security event in Bavaria, the foreign ministers of France and Germany revived a dormant diplomatic format with China. In what was described as part of a larger effort to prevent the world’s superpowers from picking Europe apart, France’s Jean-Noel Barrot and Germany’s Johann Wadephul hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday. It revived a configuration not seen since the days of French President Emmanuel Macron’s first term, talks that Wang said were “both an... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3343547/farewell-unipolar-moment-europe-scrambles-footing-between-us-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:58:33 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Khushboo Razdan,Vincent Chow Xinmei Shen,Khushboo Razdan,Vincent Chow In a move that escalates tensions between Beijing and Washington just weeks ahead of US President Donald Trump’s anticipated trip to Beijing, the Pentagon added a wide range of Chinese companies to a list of firms with alleged links to the military before withdrawing the document. Giants like Alibaba Group Holding, Baidu and BYD are among the firms added to the list. Alibaba is the parent company of the South China Morning Post. The updated designation also names firms spanning the biotech, AI,... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3343540/pentagon-adds-chinese-firms-military-list-then-withdraws-filing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3343540/pentagon-adds-chinese-firms-military-list-then-withdraws-filing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:36:23 +0000 Li Cheng,Tony Xiuye Zhao Li Cheng,Tony Xiuye Zhao The perpetual question of “who governs” finds stark expression in today’s US-China rivalry. As the two powers compete, the contrast between governance-by-technocrats in China and the predominance of lawyers in the United States is shaping each country’s respective development path. China is set to approve its 15th five-year plan, which will set development goals and strategies through 2030. It prioritises critical technological breakthroughs and industrial integration. Meanwhile, in the Trump... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343150/how-washingtons-lawyers-stack-against-beijings-technocrats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343150/how-washingtons-lawyers-stack-against-beijings-technocrats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier President Donald Trump faced noteworthy pushback over his signature tariff policy in the US Congress this week as his popularity slipped and more lawmakers in his party appeared willing to risk his wrath. While the pushback is unlikely to result in any immediate concrete change to his aggressive tariff policy, which has roiled markets and upended global supply chains, it represents a striking challenge for a president who has lashed out at critics and otherwise maintained an iron grip on his... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343243/trump-faces-rare-pushback-within-his-party-over-tariffs-polls-slide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/politics/article/3343243/trump-faces-rare-pushback-within-his-party-over-tariffs-polls-slide?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 22:59:35 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan A senior US official on Thursday defended Washington’s new critical minerals push, telling the South China Morning Post that supply chain diversification is a national security measure, not an attempt to form an exclusive bloc as Beijing has claimed. Deputy State Department spokeswoman Mignon Houston, speaking a day after the launch of the Forum on Resource Geostrategic Engagement, or Forge, described the US-led global coordination of strategic minerals as a “prudent step”. She sidestepped... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342574/us-defends-new-minerals-alliance-rejecting-claims-it-targets-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342574/us-defends-new-minerals-alliance-rejecting-claims-it-targets-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:15:54 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he “would not be surprised” if China is already looking into ways to challenge the US’ pre-eminence in digital assets, given Hong Kong's efforts to develop the industry. When testifying before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday, Bessent said that there are “lots of rumours of Chinese digital assets” possibly being backed by something other than its currency yuan, such as gold, but that the US could not confirm such claims. “We don’t know that for... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342569/us-treasury-chief-warns-china-could-challenge-us-digital-asset-lead-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3342569/us-treasury-chief-warns-china-could-challenge-us-digital-asset-lead-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 20:12:01 +0000 Richard Harris Richard Harris US President Donald Trump’s trip to Europe to speak at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss alpine town of Davos was possibly one he wished he had never made; such was its failure to impress. First, his plane had to turn back due to a technical problem. Second, he gave a typically hostile speech, but then he lived up to his nickname “Taco” (Trump always chickens out) over threats to invade Greenland that would have imperilled about a third of global trade. Third, he said disingenuously that if... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342335/how-america-first-many-respects-puts-america-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342335/how-america-first-many-respects-puts-america-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:30:11 +0000