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Trump admin live updates: Trump says Hamas will release hostage Edan Alexander

Trump did not provide any timing on when Alexander is expected to be released.

Last Updated: May 11, 2025, 7:01 PM EDT

The White House said on Sunday that it reached a trade deal with China as the two countries negotiated for a second day in Switzerland. China has yet to comment on Sunday's talks.

"We’re confident that the deal we struck with our Chinese partners will help us to work toward resolving that national emergency,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters in Geneva. But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "substantial progress" had been made but stopped short of touting a full deal.

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom -- the first in what the White House said it hopes will be a flurry of agreements while the reciprocal tariff pause is in effect. With UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on speaker phone in the Oval Office, the leaders conceded that they are still working out the details of the agreement.

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May 07, 2025, 11:12 AM EDT

Bessent refuses to give details on tariff negotiations, says Trump has final say

New York Democrat Rep. Nydia Velázquez questioned Bessent on the tariffs and asked for more details on the negotiations.

The Treasury secretary repeatedly refused.

"I'm sorry, congresswoman, that would not benefit the United States," Bessent said, citing the ongoing negotiations.

When pressed about a timeline, Bessent said that "they will be agreements in principle and then we will paper them over in the coming months."

"Once we reach an agreement, I am sure the other countries will live up to them," he said.

President Donald Trump attends a meeting with the Canadian prime minister in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, May 6, 2025.
Francis Chung/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

The Treasury secretary added that Trump has final say over all of the deals, which concerned Velázquez.

"You could strike the best deal with Canada, Mexico or even China that is completely in our favor… and if President Trump decides for whatever reason not to take the deal, that would be it," she said.

May 07, 2025, 10:47 AM EDT

Rep. Waters calls out Bessent for 'gaslighting' Americans over tariffs

Treasury Secretary Bessent was back on the hot seat on Capitol Hill to testify before the House Financial Services Committee to discuss the state of the international financial system.

While Republican House members focused on the topic, Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, the ranking member of the committee, criticized the Bessent over his tariff policies and work with the Department of Government Efficiency.

The California congresswoman accused Bessent of "gaslighting" Americans over Trump's policies.

"Secretary Bessent, you are about to go down in history as the man who oversaw one of the most significant economic downfalls in modern history," Waters said in her opening statement.

Waters continued to press Bessent about DOGE during her questioning and inquired if DOGE employees were given access to sensitive Department of Treasury data.

Bessent said that the employees were Department of Treasury employees and only given read-only access.

"There is no such thing as a DOGE employee; they were Treasury employees," he said.

PHOTO: Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent looks on during a House Financial Services Committee Hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2025.
Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent looks on during a House Financial Services Committee Hearing on the "Annual Testimony of the Secretary of Treasury on the State of the International Financial System" on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on May 7, 2025.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
May 07, 2025, 10:38 AM EDT

Vance says Russia is asking for 'too much' to end war with Ukraine

At the Munich Leaders Meeting Wednesday morning in Washington, Vice President JD Vance discussed the Russia-Ukraine war and said that Russia is asking for "a certain set of concessions" that the U.S. believes is too much.

"I wouldn't say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution. What I would say is right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they're asking for too much. OK," Vance said.

Vice President JD Vance speaks during a discussion at the Munich Leaders meeting hosted by the Munich Security Conference in Washington, May 7, 2025.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Vance said that the next step the Trump administration wants to see from the Ukraine and Russia negotiations is for the two countries to agree to a set of guidelines for sitting down and speaking to one another.

"And in particular, the step that we would like to make right now is we would like both the Russians and the Ukrainians to actually agree on some basic guidelines for sitting down and talking to one another," Vance said. "Obviously, the United States is happy to participate in those conversations, but it's very important for the Russians and the Ukrainians to start talking to one another. We think that is the next big step that we would like to take."

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

May 07, 2025, 9:48 AM EDT

Bondi says she will be talking with controversial pick for DC US attorney

Bondi said that she is going to "be talking" to Ed Martin, Trump's pick for U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C.

Martin has come under fire for repeatedly defending Jan. 6 rioters. He recently lost the support of Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. The White House has stood by Martin.

"I heard about that late yesterday, too. As you saw, I was tied up all day yesterday over here at the White House. I'll be talking to Ed today to find out what's going on with that, as well," Bondi told ABC News' Rachel Scott Wednesday when asked about the latest developments.

-ABC News' Michelle Stoddart

PHOTO: Attorney General Pam Bondi looks on during a swearing in ceremony for US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Wikoff in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, May 6, 2025.
Attorney General Pam Bondi looks on during a swearing in ceremony for US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, May 6, 2025.
Francis Chung/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

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