Trump’s Trade War Is Crushing Small Business

Lydia DePillis / ProPublica Jan 7, 2020 A new investigation reveals how the president's tariffs have massively enriched lobbyists while taking a steep toll on the middle class. Dig deeper ( 15 Min. Read )

U.S., Chinese Telecommunications Firm Make a Deal

PAUL WISEMAN / The Associated Press Jun 7, 2018 President Trump has drawn fire from Congress for intervening to rescue the company, which violated U.S. sanctions against two rogue nations that have been pursuing nuclear weapons programs. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Mnuchin Says U.S.-China Trade War ‘on Hold’

MARTIN CRUTSINGER and PAUL WISEMAN / The Associated Press May 20, 2018 The treasury secretary says the world's two biggest economies are making progress in talks aimed at reducing America's massive trade deficit with China. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

World Trade Organization Warns That Trump Risks Trade War

JAMEY KEATEN and DAVID RISING / The Associated Press Mar 2, 2018 "The potential for escalation is real as we have seen from the initial responses," a spokesman says of the U.S. president's threat to impose steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Third-Quarter Economic Growth Is a Solid 3.2 Percent

MARTIN CRUTSINGER / The Associated Press Dec 21, 2017 With final figures in for July-September, the nation records the first consecutive quarters that growth has topped 3 percent since 2014. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Donald Trump’s Pick for Commerce Secretary May Have the Biggest Conflicts of Them All

By Derek Kravitz / ProPublica Dec 18, 2016 Wilbur Ross has amassed a fortune in steel—and the Department of Commerce soon will make decisions that affect his firms. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

U.S. Finally Gives Up Control of the Internet

Peter Z. Scheer / Truthdig Mar 15, 2014 Perhaps a reaction to concerns over spying and other abuses, the United States will relinquish its oversight of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Commerce Secretary Cited in String of Accidents

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Jun 11, 2012 The Commerce Department said Monday that Secretary John Bryson had suffered a seizure in connection with three Los Angeles-area car crashes he was involved in over the weekend. Bryson was cited for felony hit-and-run, and authorities said the investigation is continuing. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

U.S. Economic Shrinkage Worst in 25 Years

Staff / Truthdig Feb 27, 2009 Either the U.S. economy was in the pool during the last three months of 2008 or the economic crisis is worse than expected. The nation's GDP shrank 6.25 percent in the fourth quarter of last year, almost doubling the preceding quarter's contraction rate of 3.8 percent. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Americans Prefer Swiping to Saving

Staff / Truthdig Feb 2, 2007 The annual savings rate dropped to the lowest level in 74 years, the Commerce Department has reported. On average, Americans saved a "negative 1 percent" in 2006, meaning people not only didn't save but dipped into their savings and borrowed in order to spend more than their income. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )