MAGA + MIGA = MEGA – a mega partnership for prosperity: Says Modi after meeting Trump

By Deepak Arora

WASHINGTON, Feb 14: US President and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have
announced they would pursue a “framework” for greater cooperation. “Prime Minister Modi and I have agreed that we will be in negotiations to address the long-running disparities,” Trump said, referring to the US-India trade relationship.

“But really, we want a certain level of playing field, which we really think we’re entitled to,” he added.

But their newly announced framework went beyond import taxes, to include collaborations on space travel, international security and the energy trade.

During his visit to the US, Modi appealed to Trump’s pride in his slogan, “Make America Great Again”, offering an Indian twist on the motto. “The people of America are aware of President Trump’s motto, ‘Make America Great Again’ or MAGA,” Modi said through a translator.

“Borrowing an expression from the US, our vision for a developed India is to ‘Make India Great Again’, or MIGA. When America and India work together, when it’s MAGA plus MIGA, it becomes MEGA – a mega partnership for prosperity.”

The two leaders emerged from their closed-door meeting with an agreement to increase trade between their countries, including through partnerships on space travel, artificial intelligence and energy production. Modi pledged a “new scale and scope” to their shared objectives.

“We have also set ourselves the target of more than doubling our bilateral trade to attain $500bn by 2030,” Modi said.

“The prime minister and I also reached an important agreement on energy that will restore the United States as a leading supplier of oil and gas to India. It will be, hopefully, their number one supplier,” Trump said.

The US president also teased an international infrastructure similar to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, linking allies across the world.

“We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the United States, connecting our partners by ports, railways and undersea cables – many, many undersea cables,” Trump explained.

“India and US will stand strongly together in the fight against terrorism,” Modi said.

Trump, for his part, said the US would increase military sales to India “by many billions of dollars”.

“In addition, the United States and India will be working together like never before to confront the threat of radical Islamic terrorism – a threat all over the world, actually.”

'US Targeting Durable Peace In Ukraine': JD Vance After Meeting Zelensky

MUNICH, Feb 14: US Vice President JD Vance said on Friday that the United States was targeting a "durable peace" in Ukraine, after holding talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich.

Both Vance and Zelensky said they had had a "good" conversation and would meet again for talks in future.

"Our first meeting, not last, I'm sure," Zelensky remarked after the meeting on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.

Vance was joined on the US side by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Keith Kellogg, President Donald Trump's special envoy on the Ukraine war.

"We want the war to come to a close, we want the killing to stop, but we want to achieve a durable, lasting peace, not the kind of peace that's going to have Eastern Europe in conflict just a couple years down the road," Vance said after the meeting.

"It's important for us to get together and start to have the conversations that are going to be necessary to bring this thing to a close," the vice president said, with reference to the war in Ukraine.

"That's all I'm going to say for now, because I want to preserve the optionality here for the negotiators and our respective teams to bring this thing to a responsible close," he said.

Trump shocked allies earlier this week by speaking directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone and announcing that talks with Moscow to end the fighting in Ukraine would start "immediately".

Trump says he discussed ending Ukraine war with Russia's Putin

WASHINGTON, Feb 12: U.S. President Donald Trump said he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday about starting negotiations immediately to end the war in Ukraine.

"We have also agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately, and we will begin by calling President Zelenskiy, of Ukraine, to inform him of the conversation, something which I will be doing right now," Trump said in a post on his social media platform.

The Kremlin said Putin and Trump had spoken for nearly an hour and a half by telephone and that the two men had agreed to meet.

Trump has long said he would quickly end the war in Ukraine, without saying how he would accomplish this.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump's Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders was unrealistic and the U.S. administration did not see NATO membership for Kyiv as part of a solution to the war.

Speaking at a meeting of Ukraine's military allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, Hegseth delivered the clearest and bluntest public statement so far on the new U.S. administration's approach to the nearly three-year-old war.

"We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognising that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective," Hegseth told a meeting of Ukraine and more than 40 allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed As Trump's Director Of National Intelligence

WASHINGTON, Feb 12: The US Senate has confirmed Tulsi Gabbard as the new Director of National Intelligence (DNI) under the Trump administration.

Although she has never served on an intelligence committee, as a former Representative from Hawaii, Gabbard brings a distinctive combination of legislative and military experience to the role. Her service in the US House of Representatives, which spanned from 2013 to 2021, was marked by her commitment to various causes. Additionally, her time in the Hawaii Army National Guard, including deployments to Iraq and Kuwait, has earned her recognition.

In her new position, Gabbard will oversee the United States' intelligence community, coordinating operations among various agencies to ensure national security and effective information-sharing. This role comes with significant responsibility, as the DNI plays a critical part in advising the President on intelligence matters.

Gabbard's appointment has raised some eyebrows due to her lack of direct experience in intelligence oversight. Furthermore, her past remarks on US adversaries, including Russia and Syria, have sparked controversy.

Some senators have expressed concerns about Gabbard's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and her 2017 visit to Syria, where she met with then-President Bashar al-Assad while he was under US sanctions. Her previous defence of former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden has also been cited as a point of contention.

Despite these concerns, Gabbard has pledged to bring transparency and efficiency to the intelligence community. Her military background and congressional experience will undoubtedly influence her approach to this complex role. As she assumes the position of Director of National Intelligence, Gabbard will oversee 18 intelligence agencies with a budget of approximately $100 billion, advising President Trump on critical intelligence matters.

'All hell' will break loose if Gaza hostages not returned, Trump warns Hamas

WASHINGTON, Feb 11: US President Donald Trump has said that he would propose cancelling the ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas if all Israeli hostages were not returned by February 15.

“As far as I'm concerned, if all of the hostages aren't returned by Saturday [February 15] 12 o'clock – I think it's an appropriate time – I would say cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,” Trump told mediapersons at the White House.

Hamas, however, said that all Israeli hostages can be brought back home from Gaza only if the ceasefire is respected.

“Trump must remember that there is an agreement that must be respected by both parties, and this is the only way to bring back the prisoners,” Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said, according to Reuters. “The language of threats has no value and only complicates matters.”

The first six-week phase of the Gaza ceasefire began on January 19 and involves the exchange of 33 hostages for hundreds of Palestinian detainees. Hamas has so far released 16 Israeli hostages while 566 Palestinian prisoners have been freed.

Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing said that the next hostage release scheduled for February 15 would be postponed till further notice “pending the [Israeli] occupation's compliance and retroactive fulfilment of the past weeks' obligations”. Hamas has accused Israel of attacking the residents of Gaza in violation of the ceasefire, leaving three persons dead.

The truce halted over 15 months of fighting in Gaza and led to the release of five groups of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli custody.

On February 8, Israel and Hamas completed their fifth hostage-prisoner exchange in which three Israeli hostages were released for 183 Palestinian prisoners.

Tensions have, however, risen after Trump proposed to take control of the Gaza Strip and expel its over two million residents.

More than 47,700 persons, including over 17,400 children, have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when Israel launched a military offensive against Gaza.

This came after Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, killing 1,200 persons and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel retaliated by carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza. About 400 Israeli soldiers have died in the conflict.

According to the latest figures by the United Nations, 92% or 436,000 housing units in Gaza have either been destroyed or damaged in the Israeli attacks. A total of 496 out of 546 schools have also either been partially or severely damaged, and only 17 out of 36 hospitals are partially functioning.

Trump Says Will Impose 25% Tariffs On All Steel, Aluminum Imports

WASHINGTON DC: In yet another major escalation of his trade policy overhaul, US President Donald Trump announced that on Monday the United States will impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports, which would come on top of additional metal duties-- expected to be disclosed later in the week.

Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday while he was on his way to the NFL Super Bowl in New Orleans, Trump also said he would announce reciprocal tariffs as early as Tuesday, which would take effect almost immediately.

The Republican, however, did not clarify who would be targeted with the reciprocal tariffs, but he stressed the US would match tariff rates levied by other countries and that this would apply to all countries. "And very simply, it's, if they charge us, we charge them," he said on his reciprocal tariff plan.

During his first White House term from 2016-2020, Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on steel and 10 per cent on aluminium but l later granted several trading partners duty-free quotas, including Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Former President Joe Biden extended these quotas to Britain, Japan and the European Union, and US steel mill capacity utilization has dropped in recent years.

Per official data, Canada, Brazil and Mexico are the largest sources of US steel imports, followed by South Korea and Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Canada is the largest supplier of primary aluminium metal to the United States by a huge margin, accounting for 79 per cent of total imports in the first 11 months of 2024. Mexico is a major supplier of aluminium scrap and aluminium alloy.

Trump's 'Losing Patience' Warning To Hamas Over Israeli Hostages' Appearance

WASHINGTON DC, Feb 10: Comparing the emaciated condition of Israeli hostages released by Hamas over the weekend with those of Holocaust survivors, US President Donald Trump suggested the United States was running out of patience with the war in the Gaza Strip, without detailing his next steps.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday from Air Force One en route to the Super Bowl, the Republican leader said the hostages "look like they haven't had a meal in a month. No reason for that, and I don't know how much longer we can take it...at some point we're going to lose our patience"

"They look like Holocaust survivors. They were in horrible condition. They were emaciated," Trump added.

Palestinian group Hamas on Saturday handed over three more Israeli hostages -- Eli Sharabi, Or Levi and Ohad Ben Ami. Their frail appearances after nearly 500 days of captivity sent a global shock wave.

The US President's reaction to seeing their images, which came days after he called for the removal of Palestinians from the Gaza enclave and for the US to take control of it, brought fresh uncertainty over the fate of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas before all remaining 76 hostages were freed.

Without detailing steps he might take, Trump said he was committed to ridding Gaza of Hamas fighters. He said the US is committed "to owning it, taking it and making sure that Hamas doesn't move back," adding that "we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it."

"We'll make it into a very good site for future development," he added.

Trump To Impose Sanctions On World Court For Targeting US, Its Allies

WASHINGTON, Feb 6: U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday to sanction the International Criminal Court for targeting the United States and its allies, such as Israel, a White House official said.

The order will place financial and visa sanctions on individuals and their family members who assist in ICC investigations of U.S. citizens or U.S. allies, said the official.

Rajnath Singh Holds Call With US Counterpart Pete Hegseth To Boost Strategic Partnership

NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his American counterpart, Pete Hegseth, agreed on Thursday to work on a 10-year comprehensive framework to bolster the India-US defence partnership, especially in the spheres of intelligence, logistics, operational and industrial engagement.

Rajnath Singh said Hegseth reviewed various aspects of the bilateral defence ties in a phone conversation that came less than a week before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's planned trip to Washington.

It was Singh's first phone conversation with Hegseth after the latter was confirmed as the US defence secretary on January 25.

An Indian readout of the conversation said India and the United States have agreed to work together to draft a comprehensive framework on defence cooperation, aimed at structuring the bilateral collaboration for the 2025-2035 period.

It said Singh and Hegseth reviewed the extensive India-US defence cooperation activities, covering "multiple domains in land, air, maritime and space".

In a post on X, the defence minister said he and Hegseth reviewed the ongoing India-US defence cooperation and explored ways to further deepen the relationship.

Singh described the phone conversation as "excellent".

"We reviewed the ongoing defence cooperation and explored ways and means to expand and deepen the India-US bilateral defence relationship," he said.

"We also agreed to chart out an ambitious agenda which includes operational, intelligence, logistics and defence-industrial cooperation," he added.

"Looking forward to work closely with Secretary Hegseth," Singh said.

Modi and US President Donald Trump, during a phone conversation on January 27, vowed to work towards a "trusted" partnership, with a focus on boosting the India-US cooperation in the areas of trade, energy and defence.

Following the phone talks, the White House said Trump has emphasised the importance of India increasing its procurement of US-made security equipment and moving towards a fair bilateral trade relationship.

In the readout, the defence ministry said Singh and Hegseth appreciated the ongoing and "remarkable expansion" of the India-US defence partnership, and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the ties.

"In particular, the two ministers decided to work together on technology cooperation, integration of defence industrial supply chains, enhanced interoperability, logistics and information sharing and joint military exercises," it said.

"They also agreed to provide enhanced support to the growing defence innovation collaboration between the governments, start-ups, businesses and academic institutions," it said.

The phone conversation between Singh and Hegseth came amid some anguish in India over the US deporting more than 100 Indians in a military transport aircraft.

How to boost the defence bilateral ties is expected to be one of the key focus areas of the talks between Modi and Trump in Washington DC.

According to the plan, Modi will travel to Washington DC after concluding his two-day visit to Paris.

The prime minister is expected to land in the American capital in the evening of February 12 and he and Trump are expected to hold the talks the next day.

It would be the prime minister's first bilateral visit to the US after Trump assumed the presidency for a second term on January 20, following his stunning electoral victory in November last year.

Trump Says He Wants To Work On 'Nuclear Peace Agreement' With Iran Immediately

WASHINGTON, Feb 5: US President Donald Trump has said on his Truth Social post that he preferred a "verified nuclear peace agreement" with Iran.

In the post on Wednesday, Trump shunned that reports of US and Israel "blowing Iran into smithereens" were "greatly exaggerated".

“I would much prefer a Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement, which will let Iran peacefully grow and prosper. We should start working on it immediately, and have a big Middle East Celebration when it is signed and completed. God Bless the Middle East!”

He also said that he wants Iran to become a "great and successful country" but it "cannot have a Nuclear Weapon", a day after he signed an order reinstating a "maximum pressure" policy against Tehran over allegations that it was trying to develop such weapons.

During his first term that ended in 2021, Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, and reimposed biting sanctions.

The deal -- known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)-- imposed curbs on Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.
Tehran adhered to the deal until a year after Washington pulled out, but then began rolling back its commitments. Efforts to revive the 2015 deal have since faltered.

Iran denies seeking to build nuclear weapons, insisting its program is solely for peaceful purposes.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters Wednesday he believed Trump's maximum pressure policy "is a failed experiment and trying it again will turn into another failure."

He also reiterated that Tehran was not pursuing nuclear weapons.

"If the main issue is that Iran does not pursue nuclear weapons, it is achievable and is not much of a problem," Araghchi said.

A longstanding religious decree, or fatwa, issued by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final say in all matters of state, prohibits Iran from possessing a nuclear arsenal.

On Wednesday, Iran's nuclear agency chief Mohammad Eslami insisted that his country remains committed to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, saying "Iran does not have, and will not have a nuclear weapons program."

US Deports 205 Indian Migrants On C-17 Military Aircraft

WASHINGTON, Feb 4: A US military plane began deporting Indian migrants, implementing US President Donald Trump's hardline stance against an estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the United States.

The C-17 aircraft carrying 205 Indian nationals departed from San Antonio, Texas departed around 3 am IST.

India is the farthest destination of US military flights deporting migrants, with the Pentagon stating flights to deport over 5,000 migrants from El Paso, Texas, and San Diego, California. So far, military aircraft have flown migrants to Guatemala, Peru and Honduras.

Trump launched the military deportation flights last week as part of his emergency declaration on immigration, so far sending six planeloads of migrants on flights to Latin America. Only four landed, all of them in Guatemala, after Colombia refused to let two US C-17 cargo aircraft land and instead sent its own planes to collect migrants following a standoff with Trump.

"For the first time in history, we are locating and loading illegal aliens into military aircraft and flying them back to the places from which they came," Trump told reporters last month.

The US President had said after a call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the latter "will do what's right" when it comes to taking back illegal Indian immigrants from America. A report says that India and the US have identified some 18,000 Indian migrants who are in the US illegally. Indians account for the bulk of the skilled worker H-1B visas issued by the United States.

The deportations and border control come after Trump had said on his first day in office that he will deport "millions and millions" of migrants, while declaring a national emergency at the southern border. Day within him assuming the top post, the the US Congress approved a bill that would require the detention and deportation of undocumented migrants who enter the country without authorisation and are charged with certain crimes. Even during his campaign trail, he had said, "When I am reelected, we will begin the largest deportation operation in American history."

Trump has often used the military to implement his immigration agenda. He has sent troops to the US Mexico border, used military bases to house migrants and military aircraft to fly them out of the US. However, it has been reported that a military deportation flight to Guatemala last week likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant. That is more than five times the $853 cost of a one-way first class ticket on American Airlines from El Paso, Texas. It is also significantly higher than the cost of a commercial charter flight by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Trump agrees to pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico but not on China

WASHINGTON, Feb 4: President Donald Trump has agreed to hold off imposing 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days, pulling the North American neighbours back from the brink of a potentially damaging trade war.

After last-minute calls with Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to reinforce his country's border with the US to clamp down on migration and the flow of the deadly drug fentanyl.

Earlier, Trump made a deal with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. She agreed to reinforce the northern border with troops. In return the US would limit the flow of guns into Mexico.

But a US tariff of 10% on Chinese imports is still due to go into effect from 00:01 EST (05:00 GMT) on Tuesday.

Trump said he planned to speak on the phone to his Chinese counterpart soon. He described the 10% import taxes as the "opening salvo" and said they could become "very, very substantial" if no agreement is made.

Monday's breakthrough with Canada and Mexico came as they prepared retaliatory tariffs on American goods.

After two phone calls on Monday, Trump and Trudeau posted on social media that they had reached a temporary agreement on securing the border that would avoid tariffs for at least 30 days.

Both leaders portrayed the plan as a win.

"As president, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of ALL Americans, and I am doing just that. I am very pleased with this initial outcome," Trump wrote on his social media site Truth Social.

Trudeau said Canada was implementing a $1.3bn (£1bn) border plan that included nearly 10,000 frontline workers and more resources to halt the flow of fentanyl, a synthetic drug 50 times stronger than heroin, which Trump has cited as a major concern.

The prime minister also said Canada would appoint a "fentanyl czar" and launch a joint strike force with the US to combat crime, fentanyl and money laundering.

Much of the border security plan had already been announced by Canada in December.

It includes enhanced co-ordination with US law enforcement, increased information sharing, limiting traffic at the border, and the deployment of drones and Black Hawk helicopters for surveillance.

The news came just hours after Trump paused a separate tariff on Mexican goods in exchange for that country sending 10,000 National Guard troops to its border with the US.

President Sheinbaum broke the news on X, writing she had had a "good conversation with great respect for our relationship and sovereignty" with her US counterpart.

Trump described his phone conversation with the Mexican leader as "very friendly".

Modi invited to meet with Trump next week: White House official

WASHINGTON, Feb 4: U.S. President Donald Trump has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit the White House next week, a White House official said, hours after a U.S. military plane departed to return deported migrants to the country.

Trump spoke with Modi on Jan. 27, when he discussed immigration and stressed the importance of India buying more American-made security equipment and fair bilateral trading ties.

India, a strategic partner of the United States in its efforts to counter China, is keen to enhance trade relations with the U.S. and make it easier for its citizens to get skilled worker visas.

It is also keen to avoid tariffs that Trump has threatened in the past, citing India’s high tariffs on U.S. products.

The United States is India’s largest trading partner and two-way trade between the two countries surpassed $118 billion in 2023/24, with India posting a trade surplus of $32 billion.

 

Trump Pauses Tariffs On Mexico, Reprieve Prospects Dim For China, Canada

WASHINGTON, Feb 3: US President Donald Trump paused tariffs on Mexico for one month after last-minute talks Monday -- but there was no breakthrough yet in negotiations with Canada on an issue that has sparked fears of a global trade war.

As world markets slumped, Trump and his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum both announced the halt in the levies after she agreed to send 10,000 troops to the US-Mexico border following talks on Monday.

Trump said on his Truth Social network that after the "very friendly conversation" he had "agreed to immediately pause the anticipated tariffs for a one month period."

During that time there would be further talks "as we attempt to achieve a 'deal' between our two Countries," the Republican said.

Leftist Sheinbaum had announced the tariff pause a few minutes earlier, saying she had a "good conversation with President Trump with great respect for our relationship and sovereignty."

Trump agreed to increase measures to prevent trafficking of US weapons into Mexico, she said -- a point that did not appear in Trump's statement.

The development came hours before the 25 percent levies that Trump has ordered on imports from the US neighbors and chief trading partners -- plus an extra 10 percent on China -- were due to take effect at midnight on Tuesday.

Trump said he had also spoken to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday and was due to speak again at 3:00 pm (2000 GMT) -- but the White House said negotiations with Ottawa were not going as well.

Trump repeated his frequent claims that the United States is being unfairly treated by trade while pushing his argument that the tariffs were about a "drug war" from opioids "pouring through the Borders of Mexico and Canada."

Trump Imposes Sweeping Tariffs On Canada, Mexico, China

WASHINGTON DC, Feb 2: US President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports and 10 per cent on goods from China, citing a "major threat" by "illegal aliens" and drugs, a move that invited retaliation from Ottawa and Mexico City.

Donald Trump signed three separate executive orders on the tariffs, risking a new trade war. "We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all. I made a promise on my campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it," he posted on social media.

The 78-year-old, who has launched numerous tariff threats upon returning to office, invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in imposing the tariffs, with the White House saying "the extraordinary threat" posed by "illegal aliens" and drugs, constitutes a "national emergency".

While the Canadian and Mexican exports to the US will face a 25 per cent tariff, energy resources from Ottawa will have a lower 10 per cent levy "until the crisis is alleviated", the White House said, with duties starting on Tuesday.

"The Biden Administration's policies have fueled the worst border crisis in U.S. history. More than 10 million illegal aliens attempted to enter the United States under Biden's leadership, including a rising number of Chinese nationals and people on the terror watchlist," the White House said in a statement.

In response to Trump's tariffs, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said they "did not want this, but Canada is prepared". He later announced 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs against Can$155 billion ($106 billion) worth of American goods.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo also shot back, saying "the problems are not resolved by imposing tariffs, but by talking and dialoguing". "I instruct the Secretary of Economy to implement Plan B that we have been working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests," she posted on X.

China said it "firmly opposes" the new US tariffs and vowed "corresponding countermeasures".

Last week, Trump said he would put 25 per cent tariffs on Colombian goods after the country refused to take in flights carrying migrants to be deported from the US. The two countries later worked out an agreement.

This week, he also pledged to impose duties on the European Union in the future.

He has also issued a warning to BRICS nations, threatening 100 per cent tariffs on their exports if they attempt to replace the US dollar as the dominant currency in international trade. The BRICS group - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa - has been discussing ways to reduce reliance on the US dollar for years.

'Will Find You, And Kill You': Trump After US Strikes ISIS In Somalia

PALM BEACH, Feb 2: The United States military on Saturday conducted air strikes on Islamic State group targets in Somalia, President Donald Trump announced.

"This morning I ordered precision Military air strikes on the Senior ISIS Attack Planner and other terrorists he recruited and led in Somalia," Trump said on Truth Social.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the strikes targeted IS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains in the semi-autonomous Puntland region. "Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed," Hegseth said in a statement.

Local commanders confirmed the strikes.

"We don't know so far the number of the casualties, but we believe the missiles precisely hit the targets," said Mohamed Ali, a military commander in Bossaso area.

"We believe there are casualties of the terrorist leaders, including the foreigners who the Puntland forces were chasing in the last few days," he said.

Abdirahman Adan, another member of the army in a nearby area, said they heard "five loud explosions" and saw smoke over the targeted area.

Puntland has not commented officially about the airstrike so far.

Hegseth said the strikes further degrade "ISIS's ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening US citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians and sends a clear signal that the United States always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the United States and our allies."

Islamic State has a relatively small presence in Somalia compared to the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab, but experts have warned of growing activity.

"The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that 'WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!'" Trump said in his post.