Articles DEALMAKER-IN-CHIEF: President Trump Secures Landmark Peace, Trade Deals

President Donald J. Trump never stops working for the American people — and that was on full display this weekend in Scotland, where President Trump secured two major victories in his relentless pursuit of peace and prosperity.

President Trump negotiates a landmark trade deal with the European Union.

In Scotland, President Trump announced a monumental trade deal with the European Union — finally addressing the enormous trade deficit, securing new market access, clinching hundreds of billions of dollars in new U.S. investment, and much more.

The move was immediately hailed — both internationally and domestically — as a “big win” and “victory” for the Trump Administration and the U.S.

They said it couldn’t be done — and President Trump did it.

President Trump brokers peace between Cambodia and Thailand.

After President Trump spoke with leaders of Thailand and Cambodia, the two countries announced an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” — leveraging their trade relationships with the U.S. as incentive to do so.

It’s only the latest instance of the Trump Administration’s pursuit of peace around the world after similar efforts brokered peace between Israel and Iran, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan, Egypt and Ethiopia, along with the historic peace agreements from his first term — including with Serbia and Kosovo and the Abraham Accords.

The Biden-era ATF rule restricting pistol braces was vacated Thursday after President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice agreed to drop its appeal in a federal lawsuit, delivering a major victory to gun-rights advocates, Breitbart reported.

The move marks a significant reversal in federal firearms regulation and concludes a lengthy legal battle over the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ 2023 rule that reclassified AR-pistols with braces as short-barreled rifles under the National Firearms Act.

“This afternoon, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and the federal government agreed to a joint dismissal of the government’s appeal in our Mock v. Bondi lawsuit, a case that successfully challenged the Biden ATF’s ‘pistol brace’ ban and secured injunctive relief for gun owners while the case was being litigated to final judgment, which completely vacated the rule,” the Firearms Policy Coalition said in a statement.

The pistol brace rule was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 31, 2023, and was met with immediate legal opposition. It sought to bring AR-style pistols equipped with stabilizing braces under the purview of the National Firearms Act, subjecting owners to the same requirements as those purchasing fully automatic firearms. That included mandatory registration and additional federal scrutiny.

Gun-rights groups hailed the dismissal as a pivotal legal win. The company Daniel Defense, a prominent manufacturer of AR-15 rifles, also praised the outcome on social media, proclaiming the ban “terminated.”

Firearms Policy Coalition CEO Brandon Combs emphasized that the regulation contradicted Second Amendment protections.

“As we explained in the case filings, braced pistols are not short-barreled rifles. But either way, they are unquestionably arms protected under the Second Amendment,” he said. “We are thrilled to have secured this important win for liberty and excited to take on even more unconstitutional laws so you can exercise your rights when, where, and how you choose.”

The legal resolution comes as broader gun policy debates continue to unfold nationwide.

In June, the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Maryland’s ban on assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines, letting a lower court’s decision stand.

That state law, enacted in 2013 following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut, specifically bans the AR-15 and similar firearms. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, ruling that Maryland may constitutionally prohibit the sale and possession of such weapons. The Supreme Court’s decision not to take the case was seen as a significant victory for gun-control advocates.

Although the AR-15 is banned in Maryland and eight other states, it remains legal in 41 states. The rifle is estimated to be in circulation in numbers ranging from 20 million to 30 million units, making it the most popular gun in America.

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Reuters reports sources tell them that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency plans to terminate its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under a “Clean Air Act” premised upon a previous assertion that they endanger public health through influences on climate change, a primary legal foundation applied to discourage fossil energy use.

As first reported in The Washington Post, the EPA proposal for reconsidering the endangerment finding was submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), along with other federal agencies for review on June 30, 2025.

Such a development would have huge timely, consequential benefits given that hydrocarbons provide more than 80% of U.S. and energy globally, a demand which will increase dramatically to power massive data centers essential to support an inevitably emergent AI revolution.

That U.S. and global competition for AI supremacy is already setting off a four-way battle among electric utilities trying to keep the lights on, tech companies that like to tout their climate credentials, consumers angry at rising electricity prices, and federal and state government regulators using climate alarmism to push more electric vehicles on overburdened power grids.

Whereas the U.S. Supreme Court in a split 5-4 decision, in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency, 549 U.S. 497 (2007), granted the agency authority under the Clean Air Act to render a scientific finding whether greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health, it did not require the agency to do so.

Nor does the reported plan to end its regulatory authority over such emissions require any such scientific judgement, but simply reverses a 2009 Obama administration EPA finding purporting that the agency can do so because carbon dioxide and methane from burning fossil fuels was a hazard to people because it contributed to polluting the climate.

That endangerment finding ignored the conclusions of EPA’s own internal research report at the time: “Given the downward trend in temperatures since 1998 (which some think will continue until at least 2030), there is no particular reason to rush into decisions based upon a scientific hypothesis that does not appear to explain most of the available data.”

The study author, a senior analyst at the EPA’s National Center for Environment Economics, was subsequently removed from his position after serving for 38 years.

Nevertheless, that finding became the basis for arbitrary and costly rules regulating emissions from car and truck exhausts, coal and gas-fired power plants, and methane from the oil and gas industry.

A 2011 directive established by the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration set economy standard emission limits for automobiles, pickup trucks, and vans sold in the U.S.

The power grab also gave EPA influence over the design and operations of virtually every major project in which fossil fuel is combusted or CO2 emissions are released, including electrical power generation, refineries, iron and steel mills, pulp and paper mills, and cement production.

Another 2011 ruling put EPA squarely in corporate boardrooms and boiler houses in requiring any new source of greenhouse gas emissions exceeding 100,000 tons of CO2 per year or plant modification adding 75,000 tons annually was subject to permit approval based upon undefined case-by-case “best available control technology” assessments.

A 2022 Democratically-controlled Congress doubled down on the 2009 endangerment finding by including language in their climate-focused Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that labels greenhouse gases as pollutants.

On the first day of his second term, President Trump declared a “national energy emergency” and signed an executive order, Unleashing America Energy to put an end to former President Joe Biden’s climate agenda.

Trump asked his EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin who had told his confirmation hearing the agency had authority but no obligation to regulate greenhouse gases to submit recommendations “on the legality and continuing applicability” of the endangerment finding.

Administrator Zeldin enthusiastically responded in March, declaring, “Today is the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen. We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion to drive down cost of living for American families, unleash American energy, bring auto jobs back to the U.S. and more.”

Zeldin added, “Alongside President Trump, we are living up to our promises to unleash American energy, lower costs for Americans, revitalize the American auto industry, and work hand-in-hand with our state partners to advance our shared mission.”

In June, President Trump announced plans to repeal all limits on greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants.

Then in July, White House budget director Ross Vought said an endangerment finding review was “long overdue” because it had led to regulations that he said harmed the economy.

In seeking to reverse the endangerment finding, the Trump EPA is making a legal argument that previous administrators overstepped their legal authority and “imposed trillions of dollars of costs on Americans.”

Expect a long legal battle ahead, one richly funded by wind and solar subsidy seekers.

And perhaps a realistic endangerment finding is truly warranted, one that addresses the EPA’s threat to vital sectors that drive our economy, provide jobs and ensure that we have affordable energy, products and services.

It’s time to replace those ideological Clean Air Act filters, get the EPA out of the climate regulation nonsense, and clear the atmosphere of all government alphabet agency powers to invoke unwarranted intrusions into our free markets, business, and lives.

Larry Bell is an endowed professor of space architecture at the University of Houston where he founded the Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture and the graduate space architecture program. His latest of 12 books is “Architectures Beyond Boxes and Boundaries: My Life By Design” (2022). Read Larry Bell’s Reports — More Here.

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On Friday, joined by lawmakers and cryptocurrency industry leaders in the East Room, President Donald J. Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law — a historic piece of legislation that will pave the way for the United States to lead the global digital currency revolution. As President Trump said, the law “creates a clear and simple regulatory framework to establish and unleash the immense promise of dollar-backed stablecoins. This could be perhaps the greatest revolution in financial technology since the birth of the internet itself.” Bo Hines, Executive Director of the President’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, says of the landmark signing, “We are securing dollar dominance, unlocking innovation, and putting the United States in permanent control of the future of digital finance.” White House Crypto Czar David Sacks told President Trump: “Today, you have another historic legislative achievement that is a monumental step to fulfilling your promise to making the United States the Crypto Capital of the world.” Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent: “Blockchain technologies will power the next generation of payments, and the U.S. dollar is coming onchain. Thanks to President Trump’s visionary leadership … the GENIUS Act will help cement the U.S. dollar as the global reserve currency for generations to come.” “This is an important step to spur innovation by providing the crypto industry with clear rules of the road,” says SEC Chairman Paul Atkins. The signing of the bill drew widespread praise across the crypto and financial communities: Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev: “I believe that Crypto technology is going to power a large part of financial services as an industry in the near future — and the U.S. needs to be a leader … This stablecoin legislation is the first step in that … we’re excited to see the U.S. taking a big step in leadership.” Watch

Coinbase Co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong: “A big shoutout to President Trump and this entire Administration for getting such strong, bipartisan support to get these bills through. This is exactly what’s going to allow this technology to be built here in America and ensure that the dollar remains very strong.” Watch

Chainlink Co-founder Sergey Nazarov: “The GENIUS Act is a huge step forward for stablecoins, forming the basis of on-chain payments for retail users in both highly developed and emerging markets … I’m excited and grateful to be at the white house today to witness the historic signing of the GENIUS Act into law by the president. This administration is doing amazing things for our industry and we should all be very grateful for how supportive they are being. Thank you, President Trump, the U.S. Congress … for supporting our industry at this critical time.”

Exodus CEO JP Richardson: “History in the making. Today I’m at the White House as President Trump signs the Genius Act into law-a watershed moment for crypto and the US dollar. People have no idea what’s coming. Every bank in America will adopt stablecoins. Blockchain rails will become the foundation of modern finance. A new era of open, programmable money is here.”

Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse: “The last major financial regulation bill was passed 15 years ago in response to the 2008 financial crisis … the signing of the GENIUS Act cements the US’s future in being a leader in truly innovative financial technology – stablecoins. This moment is a historic one, and I, for one, am looking forward to all that is to come as a result of this transformational legislation.”

Stellar Chief Legal and Policy Officer Candace Kelly: “We see this as a turning point. This legislation finally brings the legal clarity that the market has needed and it reinforces a simple but powerful idea: if stablecoins are going to reach their full potential, helping real people improve their financial health, they need to be reliable and trusted.”

Kraken Co-CEO Dave Ripley: “This brings cryptocurrency and the U.S. dollar together … We can now bring the U.S. dollar to more and more global payments around the world. I think it’s a huge win for the crypto industry, and a huge win, frankly, for the U.S. dollar — and for the United States.”

Paxos CEO Charles Cascarilla: “For years, we believed that well-regulated stablecoins are the bridge between traditional finance and blockchain innovation. Today, that vision becomes reality, with America leading the charge.”

Solana Policy Institute President Kristin Smith: “I’m incredibly proud of this milestone – and of the people, the progress, and the purpose behind this moment. This is history. And it didn’t happen overnight … The GENIUS Act is the first-ever standalone crypto bill to be signed into law. It sets clear, bipartisan rules for stablecoins, enabling innovation while protecting consumers and reinforcing the dollar’s dominance in the digital age.”

Anchorage Digital Co-founder and CEO Nathan McCauley: “American dollar dominance and has been ensured for the next century.” PROTECTING CONSUMERS IN THE DIGITAL MARKET: The GENIUS Act protects consumers from nefarious actors in financial markets. This long-overdue legislation creates the first-ever Federal regulatory system for stablecoins, ensuring their stability and trust through strong reserve requirements.

The GENIUS Act requires 100% reserve backing with liquid assets like U.S. dollars or short-term Treasuries and requires issuers to make monthly, public disclosures of the composition of reserves.

Stablecoin issuers must comply with strict marketing rules to protect consumers from deceptive practices. Crucially, they are forbidden from making misleading claims that their stablecoins are backed by the U.S. government, federally insured, or legal tender.

The GENIUS Act aligns State and Federal stablecoin frameworks, ensuring fair and consistent regulation throughout the country.

In the event of insolvency of a stablecoin issuer, the GENIUS Act prioritizes stablecoin holders’ claims over all other creditors, ensuring a final backstop of consumer protection. ENSURING U.S. DOLLAR GLOBAL RESERVE CURRENCY STATUS: By driving demand for U.S. Treasuries, stablecoins will play a crucial role in ensuring the continued global dominance of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency. The GENIUS Act will generate increased demand for U.S. debt and cement the dollar’s status as the global reserve currency by requiring stablecoin issuers to back their assets with Treasuries and U.S. dollars.

Additionally, the GENIUS Act will play a key role in attracting more digital asset activity to the country by providing clear rules and promoting responsible innovation in the stablecoin market. COMBATING ILLICIT ACTIVITY IN DIGITAL ASSETS: Through regulation and registration of stablecoin issuers, along with coordination with the Treasury Department on sanctions enforcement, the GENIUS Act reinforces our national security. The GENIUS Act explicitly subjects stablecoin issuers to the Bank Secrecy Act, thereby clearly obligating them to establish effective anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance programs with risk assessments, sanctions list verification, and customer identification.

This legislation improves the Treasury Department’s ability to combat illicit stablecoin activities by enhancing its sanctions evasion and money laundering enforcement capabilities.

All stablecoin issuers must possess the technical capability to seize, freeze, or burn payment stablecoins when legally required and must comply with lawful orders to do so.

A U.S. Senate committee muddied the waters on Thursday over the Trump administration’s plans to move the FBI headquarters into a different government-owned building in Washington, D.C.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined minority Democrats on the Appropriations Committee to block funding for moving the FBI headquarters to any site other than a previously chosen site in Maryland, according to The Hill.

The Maryland site was chosen during the Biden administration in 2023, and funding had been allocated for site acquisition and the move.

But President Donald Trump opposes relocating the FBI main offices so far away from the seat of government power in the capital and especially being separated by such a distance from the Department of Justice.

The Trump administration decided it would be better to move the FBI from the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building into the Ronald Reagan Building not far from the White House.

Senate Democrats, however, continue to favor the Greenbelt site in Maryland. The Hill reported that Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told the committee that he didn’t feel the Trump team had done its homework.

“No analysis done with respect to security requirements, no analysis done with respect to FBI mission requirements, no review of the underlying statute as to the purpose of the Ronald Reagan Building, no analysis of what they would do with current tenants in that building,” argued Van Hollen.

Murkowski commented about her vote to keep the Maryland site targeted for the FBI in a way that seemed she could change her mind if analysis showed the Reagan Building was the better choice.

“My understanding is that this has been a decision that was made just very recently. I, for one, would like to know that this analysis has actually been going on for more than just a couple months, that there’s actually been that effort to ensure that we’re going to move forward,” said Murkowski.

There has been no clear path for the FBI headquarters since Trump was inaugurated for his second term in the White House. FBI Director Kash Patel said in May that personnel located at the bureau headquarters would be moved to FBI regional offices spread throughout the country.

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